The Big Four and the Fate of the Fractured Part 1
by Floranagirl
Summary: The Big Four are back for their final year at Hogwarts and nothing is the same. Muggles and Wizards are at war and it is up to four teenagers to stop the violence. But how can they bring peace to the fractured world when they can't even heal their own families? Especially with Pitch Black still on the loose, causing chaos and plotting revenge.
1. Prologue

**Here is my Seventh year. I highly recommend reading the previous six stories before this. I won't be updating this until I finish writing the entire first draft. I will be updating my profile with the status of that draft, as well as answering guest questions. I'll try to get this done as quickly as possible, but I also want to make it great.**

* * *

"This is the story of how I died." -E

"No, it's the story of how _I_ died." -J

"Depressing much?" -M

"Oh, come on. It's not like they _really_ died." -H

"Hey! How would you like to be stabbed?" -E

"Or drowned?" -J

"I almost drowned. Twice. And I lost part of my leg, and got struck by lightning, and – " -H

"Okay, we get it, everyone has had a miserable life." -M

"Or death." -J

"But this story isn't all depressing. It's your last year at Hogwarts. A grand finale to the story." - E

"Hey, Eugene, since this is a big finale, maybe you should remind everyone of what happened before?" - R

"Right. Be ready for spoilers for the last six years." -E

* * *

"Year One: My fifth year. I met Jack Frost and told him not to tell anyone in Slytherin that he had a muggle family, which he promptly ignored. He hated Merida, but then joined her to fight bullies. Hiccup picked up his wand with his left hand and learned he wasn't a squib. The kids found a herd of Nightmares. I got expelled.

"Year Two: I wasn't around. But in my place, Mother Gothel came to school, keeping a tighter leash on Rapunzel, and working with Pitch to turn children into fearlings, and making Jack think he was going crazy. Together, the four kids solved the mystery of where the fearlings were coming from and saved the school.

"Year Three: Merida faced stricter lessons in preparation for being queen, Rapunzel struggled some more under Gothel's oppressive thumb. Hiccup, now able to do magic, still faced the fact that he was weak, and Jack sought out his father, discovering he was half ice-elf. Oh, and Rapunzel got a pet frog."

"Chameleon." -R

"Princess Merida turned her mum into a bear. I'm not going any further with that one.

"Year Four: The world started to hate and fear wizards, witches and ice elves. A series of attacks on the Guardians forced them to reveal their backstories to the four kids. Merida's suitors showed up to win her heart, and a monkey king tried to marry her. Oh, and I was tracked down and kidnapped by the Stabbington brothers.

"Let's see, I think someone trained a dragon at this point.

"Year Five: To combat Pitch's attempts to make the world afraid, the Guardians hosted the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Astrid, Jack, and Prince Hans competed for the grand prize. All the girls started to fall for Jack, even without any smolder. Meanwhile, Jack's friend and Viking, Camicazi, planned a genocide against ice elves. Jack stopped her and rescued his sister and step-father. A Viking almost killed Merida's mom and Princess Rapunzel had to out her hair. Hiccup got kidnapped.

"Year Six: No matter how hard the kids tried to stop the fear, they couldn't. Vikings and Scots started to battle. Dragon attacks became frequent. And I got arrested. Magic is almost entirely banned. All wizards have to live in hiding, the school is hidden, Merida is an outlaw, Hiccup is stuck on Berk and Rapunzel is locked in her tower with only Jack Frost, her secret keeper, knowing the location.

"The world is now in chaos and I'm traveling with Cassandra and Maximus, being trailed by the Stabbington brothers to find Rapunzel's teeth, while the Big Four are struggling to put their fractured world back in order. I hope they can."


	2. Broken Families

**A/N:**

 **Because of where the events of Tangled fall, this is actually going to be Year 7: Part 1. I don't expect to have a gap between Parts 1 and 2 since the break is only to accommodate the one-shot. Part 2 will be much shorter than Part 1.**

 **Tangled belongs to Disney, Brave belongs to Disney and Pixar, How to Train Your Dragon belongs to Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks, Rise of the Guardians belongs to William Joyce and Dreamworks, Hogwarts belongs to JK Rowling.**

 **There might be a trigger later on in this story. It's not graphic, and not explicit, and I don't want to spoil it … but let's just say one of the main cast might be able to join the #MeToo Movement. I'll give another warning on the chapter that it's in, but I thought I needed to give a heads up in case that kind of thing bothers you.**

* * *

The cloaked archer crouched in a tree. She watched the forest floor below. No longer did the roguish bear Mor'du roam these woods, but still there was danger.

She held her bow at the ready as leaves crunched in the distance. The murmur of voices grew louder until she could hear what they were saying.

"N.. No! Please!" a woman pleaded. The archer steeled her face as the group came into view.

"The process will be over soon," a man said sharply.

"MAMA!" the child cried.

"He's just a boy!" the mother screamed. The archer flinched as the man hit the woman, knocking her to the ground. But still the archer waited. The man grasped the child, who could not be more than eight, by the scruff of his collar.

As the man was about to leave the clearing with the child, the archer let fly her arrow. It struck the man's hand; instinctively, he let go of the child. The boy ran back to his mother. As they embraced, the man approached them again.

"You'll pay for that, witch."

"He didn't do it," the archer announced, standing in her tree. She pushed back the hood of her cloak and a tumble of red curls fell out. "I did."

The man's eyes widened with recognition. He tried to jump up on the tree, but the archer was faster. She jumped down, landing on his head.

"Princess Merida," the mother mumbled, bowing.

"No time," Merida said, pulling the woman up. "There's a safe house for wizards a few leagues north of here. Take the boy. I'll distract the muggle."

The woman nodded and dragged her son off. Merida tossed aside her bow and pulled her sword off her belt. She turned to face the man. He charged.

* * *

Jack sat by the window of their stuffy cabin, completely bored. Emma stood over the stove, boiling the stew. Though she'd often helped her mother, this was her first time doing everything on her own.

"It's ready," Emma announced, tasting a bit of it from her spoon. Mother double-checked it and nodded. Jack and his family took their places at the table and Emma brought the pot over. She carefully ladled it into their bowls.

Jack waited until she reached his place setting before he casually tilted his chair back. His finger touched the ground as Emma passed. She slipped on the ice forming under her feet.

Jack burst out laughing, his boredom allayed. Until he heard the crying. He sobered up and looked down at his sister. She was covered head to toe in the broth, tears streaming down her cheeks. That wasn't fair. She was supposed to laugh.

Her parents jumped up. Mother went to Emma and started cleaning her off with her apron while John turned on Jack.

"You think hurting people is funny?" he demanded, advancing on Jack.

"She's not hurt," Jack said.

"Yes, she is," his mother replied. "That soup was hot."

Jack's face fell and he slunk back. He didn't think about the temperature of the broth. It didn't occur to him that she might get hurt. John's face twitched as it went red. Jack could tell his stepfather wanted to punish him. He probably deserved it.

"I'll go fetch some water," Jack said quickly, figuring that any attempt to conjure water would only add to his punishment. Before anyone could stop him, he leapt out of his chair and entered the village on foot. Many of the other children were playing outside, but most of them stopped when they saw him.

Jack ignored their cold stares and the way the parents rushed out of their houses to pull the kids back. It didn't matter that he didn't have his staff, or wand, or any indication that he was an ice-elf or wizard. They still feared him.

He slowly lowered the bucket into the well and brought up the pail. Once he was out of sight play resumed. Jack swallowed back his longing as he returned home.

Emma had stopped crying. Jack's mother took the bucket from him and started to wash her. Her pale skin was only slightly pink. She gave him a small smile, letting him know that she forgave him. Jack returned it before John took his shoulder and steered him out to the back of the cottage. Distant memories of being taken here as a mischievous child swirled in Jack's head, though he'd forgotten the details.

He willingly went with his step-father having decided to submit to whatever punishment the adult deemed necessary.

To his surprise, John merely rubbed his head. After a minute, he looked up at Jack and uttered one word, "Why?"

Jack shrugged. He didn't know why he'd done it. It just seemed like fun at the time. John shook his head.

"What am I going to do with you?" he demanded, more to the earth than to Jack.

"I don't mean to make trouble," Jack said. "I don't use my powers in front of the rest of the village."

"I know you're trying," John conceded, "but you don't think things through. Not only have you hurt my daughter, but you wasted perfectly good food."

"I'm sorry," Jack said, he meant it to come out sincerely, but he'd said the words too often. Jack closed his mouth and waited for the verdict. John just shook his head.

"You might as well go back in and have supper," John said.

"What about my punishment?" Jack asked.

"What's the point?" John sighed. "It never does any good with you."

Jack left his stepfather and went back to dinner. Emma seemed perfectly fine now, if a little pink. She gave him a slightly sad 'I feel your pain' kind of smile. Jack sat down and poked at the stew. He knew he got lucky. John was right. He was careless. Fortunately, he hadn't hurt his sister badly. But maybe he should work on it. By the time he graduated from Hogwarts, he'd try to be more cautious.

* * *

Hiccup ran as the Screaming Death emerged from the rocks on the Island of the Berserkers. He jumped on Toothless, hooking his metal leg into the tail control pedal and flew away, leaving the gigantic white dragon behind. Alvin the Outcast had come to Berk a week ago. Hiccup still didn't trust him, but he had to admit, letting Alvin reclaim the Outcasts was a better resolution than letting a double-sized Viking army continue to attack their village.

After a long ride, Hiccup and the Dragon Riders landed on the Isle of Berk. Stoick was waiting for them.

"I thought I told you not to leave!" Stoick said, fuming, his face as red as his beard.

"We got rid of the Screaming Death for good. Alvin is back in charge of the Outcasts and he's arrested Dagur. The war is over," Hiccup said.

"Not every war," Stoick said grimly. Hiccup dismounted Toothless and followed Stoick into the Meade Hall.

"Dad, I stopped a war. Surely I can do it again?"

"I don't like that you disobeyed me," Stoick said, "and I don't want to risk losing you."

"But I can help!" Hiccup said. "I've ended two wars now. Let me stop one more."

" _I_ am stopping it. They forbade you from going back. They've outlawed magic. Keeping you away from Scotland is the best we can do to stop the war."

"And the heirs? Princess Merida and her brothers? They're outcasts. And my friends. I have to help them."

"You can't get involved in someone else's civil war!" Stoick said firmly. "It is not your place."

"They are in trouble because they helped us. Because they helped me!" Hiccup said with equal force. "Don't you feel any obligation for that?!"

"We can't get involved, Hiccup. As long as I'm chief, it's going to stay that way!"

"But-"

"No," Stoick said. "You're not to go. And that's final. Now go back to our hut and stay there. Don't make me lock up Toothless and the other dragons."

Hiccup sighed but marched back to his home. Toothless followed a pace behind. After all the good he'd done - stopping wars, saving the tribe - to be sent home like he was still a kid was just embarrassing.

At least the other teens of Berk weren't making fun of him this time.

As he climbed the stairs up to his room, he looked at Toothless.

"We'll give him a few more weeks, buddy. A few more to see if Gobber or I can change his mind. And if we can't … we'll head back to Scotland on our own. We won't be stuck here forever."

Hiccup's eyes flashed, "I promise."

* * *

Rapunzel brushed her long hair by the window looking out at the blue sky. Since Jack became their secret keeper she hadn't received any letters at all. Mother said owls were exempt from the secret keeper rule, but Rapunzel was starting to wonder. Her friends, her family. Why hadn't they written?

As the sun started to sink, Rapunzel was about to turn from the window when she noticed a dark glow on the horizon.

"M... Mother?" Rapunzel called. Gothel came out of the kitchen, quickly drying her hands.

"Yes, dear?"

"What do you suppose that is?" Rapunzel pointed to the glow, standing out more and more as the sun sank.

"Let down your hair, I'll go and see," Gothel commanded. Rapunzel hastily threw her long locks out the window for her mother to climb down. As soon as Mother was down, she pulled her hair back into the tower.

She was safe. She kept telling herself that. Whatever was the cause of the strange glow, it couldn't get into the tower. It wouldn't even see the tower. Right?

Rapunzel waited nervously. The glow drew nearer, and nearer, brighter and brighter, and then Rapunzel heard Mother.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"

Rapunzel threw her hair out the tower window and pulled Mother Gothel up. Gothel quickly drew the curtains and shutters closed.

"Well?" Rapunzel asked.

"They are here for you," Gothel said, "but don't worry. As long as you stay in the tower, they can't find us."

"They … they aren't Coronians are they?" Rapunzel asked.

"No, no, dear. They're British. And muggles, actually. They don't seem to realize magic is still legal here. They've just had a witch burning."

"A witch burning?!" Rapunzel exclaimed, taking a step back.

"Don't worry, dear. They can't find you in the tower."

Rapunzel peeked out the curtain at the red flames and let a few tears slip for whoever was the unlucky victim. Gothel pulled her away from the window.

"You see, I told you the world is a dark, scary, cruel place that wants to snuff out your light. But you never listened to me, did you? And now look what you've caused."

"I didn't mean to," Rapunzel sniffed.

"Oh, I know dear," Gothel said, sitting in the rocking chair, pulling Rapunzel's head up against her bosom. "It's not your fault you were cursed with this … with this 'gift'. But you know what you must do about it. Stay inside. Listen to your mother. And … when you return to school … we might consider asking Tooth Fairy to erase people's memories of you."

"What?" Rapunzel asked, brushing a tear away.

"They wouldn't search the land, hurting innocent witches if they forgot."

"You … you think that will work?" Rapunzel asked, for the first time seeing a way out of her tower. "Yes... if everyone forgot, I would be free, wouldn't I?"

"Exactly," Gothel said. "Your parents might even invite you back to the palace."

"Yes!" Rapunzel said. She left Mother and ran up the stairs. The Tooth Fairy was the Head of House of Ravenclaw, so she would have ample opportunity to ask about it. Rapunzel started planning on what to say right then and there. She didn't want anyone else being hurt because of her. She might not be able to save this witch, but she would do her best to save all the others.

* * *

Pitch smiled as he walked past the area the tower should be. He couldn't see it, of course, but he knew they'd be able to see out. Normally, he liked making things darker, but tonight called for fire. Sure enough, the girl saw it and sent her mother out to investigate. Gothel and Pitch made the flames bigger and closer.

While they made the flames, Gothel confided her plan to trick the Guardians into erasing the world's memory of Rapunzel.

Pitch and Gothel doused the flames. No need to start a real forest fire and lead Coronians to the tower, even if they wouldn't be able to see it. Gothel returned to lie to the child.

Not that witch burnings weren't happening. But they hadn't spread to Corona yet. That golden drop of sun that fell to the earth eons ago protected the land from his dark influence. Even now that the flower was long since dead, its magic lived on in the princess. Pitch would have to fix that.

All children were miserable. The world was full of fear and the Guardians couldn't keep up. There was no need to return to his lair. No need to hide in the shadows any more. He'd won.

But as he left Gothel, an uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. There was still a chance, however slim, that he could lose. He thought over her plot. It was good, but not perfect. As he left Corona, he started forming a plan to make sure that Rapunzel and her light never bothered him again.

* * *

Though Emma's burns had healed, Jack noticed that she wasn't doing the cooking much any more. Instead, on most days, he found her in a most peculiar place.

Every morning, for the past week or so, she would get up and sit by the unlit fireplace in their stifling cottage.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked one morning, after several unsuccessful attempts to lure her away with frost pictures.

"Waiting," Emma said solemnly.

"For what?" Jack asked, tilting his head against the window.

"A letter."

"From the fireplace?" Jack questioned, giving her his crooked grin.

"Or a visitor," she said. "You got a visitor when you were eleven."

Suddenly, Jack realized why she was staring so intently at the fireplace. His smile fell. She was still hoping she would be a witch. She wanted an acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

Jack tried to quell the flurries in his chest, "Um … I don't - even if you are - you can't -"

Emma turned away from the hearth to face her brother, her big brown eyes wide.

"Emma," Jack started again, "I'm not sure you should, uh … want - to be a witch."

"But … but magic is the coolest thing ever! You're the coolest thing ever."

Jack couldn't help but chuckle at her unintentional pun. "I know, I like it … but you've seen the way the village reacts to me. They confiscated all my stuff when I came home. If it hadn't been for John - Dad - I don't think they would have let me stay."

Even as he said it, he remembered the heat from the torches. He'd taken off the invisibility cloak and stuffed it in the hollow of a tree before walking the last two miles home. The villagers were waiting, forming a barrier between him and his house. John, Jack's step-father, broke that barrier, pushing between the pastor and Henry to stand by Jack. He spoke for him, promising to keep Jack in check if they allowed the boy to stay with him. They agreed, but only on the condition that the pastor take possession of all Jack's magic items. Apparently they held some belief that magic wouldn't work in his presence.

Jack didn't want his sister to ever go through that. He tried a different tactic, "I don't think you're going to get a letter."

Emma sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest, "I know. But I can still dream."

She stared into the empty fireplace. Jack hated to see her disappointed. Waiting for a letter, for a life, that would never come.

"Hey, you wanna play a game?" he suggested. "Let's go out and play hopscotch."

"Are you allowed to go out?" Emma asked, crossing her arms suspiciously.

Jack smiled wickedly, "No one's home to see. And I'll use the invisibility cloak."

Emma smiled and ran out to draw the hopscotch court, while Jack covered himself in the cloak. So long as Mother, who was bargaining with the shepherds for wool, and John, who was out delivering a chair he'd carved to the next town over, didn't come home, Jack could disregard their rules.

He met his sister by the lake a few minutes later. She'd made the court and had started practicing. Jack stepped into the lake without freezing it so his feet were wet before he ran over to the court and started hopping.

Emma laughed as she saw his icy footprints appear. Jack lost track of time as he played with his sister. If only every day could be like this … only without the cloak.

As the sun sank lower, Jack knew they should return home. His mother could be back at any time. She'd freak out if he wasn't there. He was about to suggest going home to Emma when he heard a piercing cry.

A cry of pain. A very human cry. Emma stopped mid-skip as she heard it.

"What was that?" Emma asked.

"Emma … go to the pastor's house and ask him if you can borrow his Bible to practice reading."

"Really?" Emma said.

"Don't say anything about me. I have a plan."

Emma did as her brother bade. Jack followed her, still hidden under the cloak. When the pastor left the room to get the book Jack slipped into the house. He grabbed his wooden staff and wand and left without being seen.

Leaving Emma back at their cottage, Jack flew off in the direction of the noise he'd heard.

He knew every inch of these woods, so it was no trouble at all to find where the woods had been disturbed by some kind of recent battle, or some kind of limping creature. He spotted fresh blood stains on some of the bushes.

A whimpering sound grew louder as he drew near.

Jack landed softly and walked to the mouth of a cave. A long time ago, he used to play hide and seek with the children of the village here. There were no kids now. From inside, Jack could hear soft sniffles broken by yelps of pain.

He pulled out his wand and almost cast the _lumos_ spell, until he realized it could be a muggle hiding from witches. Jack kept his wand at the ready, but unlit as he went in. He had to keep reminding himself he was invisible.

As the noise grew louder, it sounded strangely familiar. It made him think of Scotland. As first, Jack was ready to dismiss it as just his imagination. But the louder the noises, the more sure he was. And then he saw her.

Huddled in the back of the cave, shivering as she clutched her bloodstained arm, was Princess Merida.


	3. Prisoners

"Merida?" a voice called out. The girl's head shot up. She thought she was alone. She didn't have enough strength left to fight another attacker. Suddenly the dark cavern filled with light and Jack Frost appeared out of thin air, the invisibility cloak in hand.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"Jack, I'm so happy to see you," Merida said, attempting to get up. Her feet wobbled and she fell back to the hard ground. Jack helped her get into a more comfortable position. "I was attacked by a bear."

"Where is it?" Jack asked, clutching his wand.

Merida reached into her bag and pulled out a mouse, "I guess I finally got transfiguration. Don't know how long the spell will last."

She closed her eyes as a wave of pain washed over her.

"What are you doing out in my neck of the woods?" Jack asked, helping her to slip the mouse back into her bag. "I thought you were staying at Hogwarts."

Merida started to answer, then gasped as he touched her arm.

"I … I need your help," Merida confessed as Jack made some ice for her wound. "The muggles … they'll stop at nothing. I was tracking a kid down. Rode down here. But it was a trap. They ambushed me."

"Angus?" Jack asked.

"He threw me. I had to run to avoid getting slaughtered m'self. Not sure what happened to Angus. Maybe he went home. I hope. Angus n'ver liked magic. I'm sure he'll be happier with my muggle parents."

"What about your brothers?" Jack asked.

"I don't take 'em with me on rescue runs. Hogwarts is about the only safe place for people like us. Don't want to put them at risk."

Merida winced as she moved, "I don't suppose your village is any better?"

"Well … they haven't tried to kill me yet," Jack said lightly, "but the fear is strong here. They won't like two wizards. I can probably sneak you some food and maybe medication … or we can try to get you to Rapunzel's through the Floo?"

"Didn't she tell you?" Merida said.

"What?"

"She's disconnected."

"WHAT? But there are no doors in that tower! She's safe."

"She doesn't feel safe," Merida said, "and she's right. It's not safe here. Look around. You and me? We're the only wizards left who venture out in the open. Pitch won."

Jack fell to his knees, "It's all my fault."

Merida reached up with her good arm and slapped him, "Don't ever let me hear you say that again, or I'll have to beat some sense into you. Pitch wanted this all along. He would have done it sooner or later. We just have to believe that the Guardians will stop him and, in the meantime, free every wizard captured."

" … They're all gone?" Jack asked, his voice quiet.

"Everywhere I've checked, all witches and wizards are either in hiding, in a safe house, or in prison," Merida confirmed. "You're the only person I've found who's openly a wizard without being flayed for it. Everyone else keeps their brooms in the closet."

"I wish-"

Merida never heard what Jack might have said next, for a loud explosion and scream came from outside the cave.

"What's that?" Merida asked. Jack threw his invisibility cloak over her and, creating a gust of wind, flew out of the cave.

Merida limped behind as she followed a forest trail towards a column of smoke.

As she reached the lake, she saw it. Jack's tiny cottage, flames shooting though the thatched roof.

* * *

When Jack saw his home on fire, it immediately started to snow. The crowd around the building turned to look at him as he landed on the lake. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw his sister, mother, and John standing in the crowd. No one had been hurt.

"There's the witch!" one of the villagers screamed. The mob started to march into the lake.

"NOOO!" Jack's mother screamed. The leader of the mob threw her aside. Emma and John ran to her, helping her up.

Jack took a deep breath and slammed his staff on the lake. The whole pond froze, trapping the villagers in the water.

"YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH ME, YOU DEAL WITH ME!" Jack shouted. He almost jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It's me," Merida whispered. "This is what happens to everyone. I can curse them and give you time to run. Go to Hogwarts. You'll be safe there."

"I won't leave my sister," Jack whispered back. "Let me deal with this. Get off the lake, stay in hiding. You aren't up to fighting them off."

Jack felt Merida let go of his arm. The villagers hadn't noticed his conversation as they tried to pry their feet out of the solid ice.

"I can make it melt," Jack said, "but you must leave my family alone."

"Leave it to a witch to extort such a promise," the pastor sneered.

"And you don't call this extortion?" Jack said, pointing to the still smoking house. "You make me promise not to do magic, then you set my home on fire?"

"You're magical belongings disappeared from my house," the pastor said. "I knew we couldn't trust you! The only good witch is a dead witch."

"No!" Jack's mother screamed, running to Jack. "Don't take my son!"

"Our son," John said, joining her on the lake.

"Our family," Emma added. Jack's heart melted as his family stuck up for him. But he couldn't put them in danger. An idea came to him. Something Hiccup said last year.

"I swear," Jack said, letting the ice melt around the villagers feet. "I swear I didn't take my things back for any nefarious purpose. I found a wounded -animal- in the woods. I knew I could heal it with magic. I only took my things to help. Please. Take them back. Put me to any trial or test. Banish me if you must. But leave my family out of it."

Jack locked eyes with the pastor, "You know they are not like me."

Jack touched his staff to the ice, breaking off the piece with his family on it. He pushed it back to the shore, then held his staff out for the pastor. The man took it. He handed it to Henry. Henry examined the staff, then flipped it around and used the crooked end to pull Jack into the water. Jack tried not to panic as his head was submerged. No good would come from freezing the water with his head under it.

Fortunately, they weren't trying to drown him. Two of the other villagers hauled him up and dragged him out of the lake, back to the main part of the village.

The town was far too small to have any sort of jail, but one of the villagers had a chicken coop in the back. That's where they took Jack, locking him in. The villagers then departed.

"Jack?" Merida's voice said. "I can free you."

"No," Jack instructed. "You've been trying to free wizards and put them in hiding. That's great, Keep it up. But it's not doing anything to change muggle opinions. Hiccup told me he only got his tribe to stop fearing dragons after he shot Toothless down. I'm going to let them shoot me down. Maybe that can stop the fear."

"Jack, you don't know what it's like. I've seen it. Muggles catch wizards and torture them, then kill them. If the wizard is lucky. If not … they get turned over to Pitch Black. He makes them Fearlings. Fearling slaves."

"Pitch already tried that on me in our second year," Jack said with a smirk. "I hope they do turn me over to Pitch. Maybe I can end this once and for all. Please. Let me do this my way. You're being a typical Gryffindor 'save everybody' type. But I have bigger ambitions. I'm going to stop Pitch. I'm not gonna let him win. I'm doing things the Slytherin way. Now … go to my mom. She'll give you food and rest so you can go back to Hogwarts. I'll see you there in a few weeks. I promise."

Merida pulled off the invisibility clock. Her eyes were streaming with tears. She pulled a small weed out of her pocket.

"If they try to drown you … eat this," Merida instructed. "It's gillyweed." As he reached forward to take it she grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to the bars, kissing him before she left.

* * *

Hiccup paced around his room.

He had to get out. This wasn't right. Berk might be safe, but he wasn't some delicate flower, no matter how weak he might seem. He didn't want to stay out of the danger.

The stairs creaked. Hiccup turned his back. If his dad wasn't going to listen to him, Hiccup wouldn't talk. His dad wanted a prisoner? That was what he was going to get.

After a minute, a voice said.

"So … you're still here?"

Hiccup whirled around.

"Gobber?"

"Why is everyone always so surprised to see me?" Gobber said.

"Well ... you know, it is my house," Hiccup countered.

"And I have a wooden leg. It sounds different on the stairs than your dad's, don't it?"

"Sorry Gobber, I guess I wasn't paying attention." Hiccup turned back to his desk, "What am I going to do?"

"'Bout what?" Gobber prodded, getting between Hiccup and his books.

"This war!" Hiccup exclaimed. "I don't know where we stand with the Scots. I don't know if they'll come back to Berk. And I don't know if I can lead a defense against them. Fighting Mildew, or Alvin, or Dagur was easy. They wanted to destroy Berk, to conquer us. But the Scots ... they aren't evil. I know them. I've been a guest in their castle. I'm friends with Princess Merida. And I know that the only reason they're mad at us is because Pitch Black set me up. If they attack ... how can I fight them?"

Hiccup looked up at Gobber, but the older man just shrugged.

"I can't fight them," Hiccup decided. "I have to end this war. If there's peace ... there won't be a fight. I won't have to choose."

"Fair point," Gobber agreed. "Now … why are you still here?"

"My dad. He won't let me out," Hiccup sighed and sat down on his bed. "Has he always been this stubborn?"

"That's Stoick for you."

"I take it you didn't get him to change his mind?"

"You know Stoick. When he makes up his mind, it's set in stone." Gobber shook his head and moved over to Hiccup's pile of books.

Hiccup sighed.

"But yer Dragon Riders have been working with me. We've got a plan."

"What plan?" Hiccup asked.

"As we speak, Silent Sven and Bucket are in the middle of an argument over the stone of good fortune."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because Silent Sven and Bucket aren't going to resolve their argument until they see Toothless take off from the island, m'boy."

"What about the other Dragon Riders? Dad threatened them, their dragons-"

"It was their plan. They left this morning. I'll help Stoick when he notices you're gone."

With that statement Gobber left. Hiccup quickly grabbed all his things and left the hut. Toothless waited for him in the Dragon Training arena, already saddled. Hiccup mumbled a thank you to Astrid and climbed on.

As they flew off towards Scotland, Hiccup wondered if he would ever come home.

* * *

Rapunzel waited by the fireplace. It was stupid she knew. No one was coming to her birthday this year. Even though she'd invited them. Everyone was far too busy fighting in wars to worry about a simple birthday. Still it hurt that they hadn't even replied.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," Gothel called.

"Coming mother!" Rapunzel yelled as she pulled her long hair to the window and pulled Gothel up.

As soon as Gothel got in, she went over to the mirror.

"You didn't get any last minute letters … did you mother?" Rapunzel asked hopefully.

"Last minute letters? Who'd be writing to you?"

"Well … you know, 'cause it's my birthday and all? Seventeen is a nice number. I thought … maybe something changed and someone could come?"

"Rapunzel, you know we're under the _Fidelius_ charm," Gothel said, rolling her eyes.

"Well .. yeah … but we've got the Floo. I figured maybe we could meet in Diagon Alley or something?"

Gothel laughed, "Why on earth would anyone want to spend time with you in Diagon Alley?"

Rapunzel's brow creased and Gothel grabbed her arm, patting it, "I'm just teasing, of course. You're adorable."

Gothel pinched Rapunzel's nose and Rapunzel sat back down. Mother was right. Who would want to spend time with her?

"Honestly, my pet," Gothel said. "The world is cruel. the world is wicked. You can trust me on this. Even if it weren't for your magic hair, you shouldn't go out there. Just look at yourself."

Gothel turned Rapunzel so she was facing the mirror.

"Sloppy, under-dressed, immature, clumsy. Honestly, it's like you can't do anything right. Your own parents didn't even want you."

Rapunzel started to sniffle, Gothel pulled her close.

"But don't worry, my flower. I want you. And I won't ever let you go. You'll be safe here in my arms, forevermore."

Rapunzel relaxed into the touch. Yes. With Mother she was safe. She could stay here for the rest of her life. It wasn't exactly what she _wanted_ but maybe it was better than nothing.

* * *

Merida used to think that Jack's cottage was kind of a dump. Compared to Castle DunBroch, it definitely was. But after having spent the last few nights running around with no food, shelter, or medical attention, she couldn't imagine a more loving home, even if it did smell like smoke from the recent explosion. Jack's quick snow had put it out without much damage to the structure.

"So you're a witch, too?" Jack's stepfather said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Aye," Merida said as Jack's mother brought over a pot of warm water to wash her wounds. As the woman started to sponge up some of the cuts on her arm, Merida held back tears. She missed her mum. Queen Elinor might be a stickler for the rules … but Merida always knew she loved her. How did she end up in exile? What went wrong?

"You aren't a bad witch?" John questioned.

"Are you a bad muggle?" Merida countered, wishing he would drop the conversation.

"How dare you!" he said, standing up.

"Why is it okay for you to question my goodness, but not okay for me to question yours?" Merida demanded.

His eyes narrowed, "You are in my house."

Merida lowered her eyes, "You're right. I apologize. I'm … I'm just not used to being around muggles anymore. Sorry."

John seemed taken aback by her apology. Merida was a little surprised at it herself. Maybe all those hours of diplomatic lessons Mum insisted on giving her weren't wasted, even if she wasn't a princess any more.

"You are welcome here, my dear," Mrs. Frost said as she bandaged Merida's arm.

"Is my brother going to be okay?" Emma asked.

"Yes," Merida lied. "He said this was a part of his plan."

"His plan?" John said, rubbing his temple. "Just what we need. Another of Jack's pranks. That boy'll be the death of me."

"It's not a prank, it's a plan. And it'll work. You'll see. I believe in Jack Frost. He got me to like 'im, and that's a feat."

"You didn't liked him?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I thought he was a pureblood jerk," Merida admitted. "He had all the airs. And he loved to tease me, the lout. But when the other purebloods attacked me, he jumped to my defense. He's the best wizard I know."

"What's a pure blood?" Mrs. Frost asked.

"Oh. Jack never explained?" Merida questioned. The muggle family shook their heads.

"You know how some muggles don't like wizards? Well, there are some wizards who don't like muggles. They think kids born to muggle parents don't have 'pure' blood. It's common knowledge that me parents are muggles. So a lot of the pureblood kids at Hogwarts started torturing me. Jack, too, once they found out about his mum."

"They didn't hurt him?" Mrs. Frost asked, sitting down.

"Nah. Jack never let them. He always just gave that cheeky grin, like he was up to something, and made them all laugh. Now pretty much everyone admires him. You watch him. He'll do the same thing here.

"But just in case he can't," Merida reached under her neckline and pulled out a pouch, "this is gillyweed. It'll let Jack breath underwater if they go for trial by water. I gave some to Jack, but just in case they take it from him, try to slip him this. Bake it into a cookie or something.

"And here, hide this extra wand. Should he be sentenced to the flame, he can cast the flame freeze spell. Ideally another witch or wizard would do it, but since there aren't any in your town … have Jack cast the spell and then the flames will only tickle. He can act like he's dying."

"You mean you wizards can't even die?" John said, shocked.

"Of course we can. We've just had to find ways to survive the muggle tortures. And it's not like I can help all of them. Heaven help the witch or wizard sentenced to a beheading or hanging."

"They won't really kill my brother, will they?" Emma asked.

"You should count yourselves lucky they're only interested in him. A few towns back I saved a muggle family from being stoned. Their witch had escaped. The villagers thought the family must be in league with the devil."

Merida noticed the frightened stares and quickly changed the subject.

"But everyone is alright now. I saved 'em, took 'em to Tinworth. The whole family will be safe there, and in a few other wizard strongholds. If you can get 'em to let Jack out, try sending him to one of the safe havens I've set up."

Merida conjured a map and let the parents study it.

When morning came, Merida apparated back to Hogwarts. She wasn't great at apparition, especially not when already injured, but she didn't want to waste Jack's Floo Powder. He'd skipped the apparition class last year. He didn't have enough money for it. Now the Floo was his only quick escape if he couldn't fly. She hoped he'd make it back to Hogwarts.

* * *

Jack huddled in the dark chicken coop. Through the wire, he could see the moon.

The moon was supposed to be keeping Pitch Black out of his home. Maybe the moon had abandoned him, too.

"He has not," a whispy voice said. Jack jumped.

"Who is it?" Jack asked. "Who's there?"

He peered out into the night, but only moonlight looked back.

"You're right. I am a moonbeam," the voice said.

"I … I thought only the Guardians could speak to moonbeams," Jack said.

"Nightlight can. He's lending you his power. The Man in the Moon has sent me to you. You are not alone. He is watching. And though Pitch is the root of this fear, he has not been to visit your town for the last year."

"This is still from before?" Jack whispered. "Why's it so hard to let go of fear?"

"Pitch preys on instinct," the Moonbeam replied. "He does not tell people what to do. He makes them feel and then they react the way he expects. But you are right to stay. The Guardians were chosen for a reason. All of them have the power Pitch has. To make people feel. Pitch makes them feel fear. North can make them experience wonder, Bunny brings hope, Sandman, dreams, and Tooth can make them remember. Nightlight had the power, too. He is still there. In you."

"What could he make them feel?" Jack asked.

"Safe," the moonbeam replied. "When his light glowed, everyone felt safe."

"So … I can make people feel safe?"

"The Man in the Moon does not know. No Guardian has ever died and been reborn before. Perhaps you have the same power. But we do not know. Keep hope. The Man in the Moon is watching. He will chase the fear away if he can."

The night suddenly got darker, and Jack knew he was, once again, alone.


	4. Fear Takes Hold

**A/N: To** **Eris. I update every week, usually on Sunday.  
**

* * *

Rapunzel picked up her paintbrush and looked over the walls, but there was no space left. She had just decided to embellish some of the twirls on the banister when she heard Mother calling her.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"

The girl quickly dropped the paintbrush and threw her hair out the window, hauling Mother up.

"Ugh, what a mess," Gothel said as she stepped into the room, kicking an open jar of paint on its side. "Can't you do anything right?"

"Oh, um, sorry," Rapunzel said as she raced to clean up the spill.

"I'm just teasing, stop being so sensitive," Gothel commanded as she examined herself in the mirror. "Come now, sing for Mummy."

As soon as Rapunzel finished mopping up the violet paint, she ran to get her stool and hairbrush. Gothel brushed the hair as Rapunzel sang.

"Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine." As always, Mother's skin tightened up, her wrinkles and gray hairs faded as the healing power of the sun sank in.

After Rapunzel put the stool and hairbrush away she turned to Mother. Gothel wasn't paying any attention to her.

"M...Mother?" Rapunzel hesitated. Gothel gave her a slight frown.

"What is it dear?"

Rapunzel stroked her hair, "Well … I've been thinking. Being alone here … you know I have a lot of time to think … "

Gothel rolled her eyes, "Stop mumbling dear, you know mummy hates it."

"Oh. Right. Well, I've been thinking. Maybe I … maybe I shouldn't stay in the tower."

Gothel shot up so straight she knocked a flowerpot over. Rapunzel waved her wand and repaired it.

"You can't think you're strong enough to go out there? Only in here are you safe. This is your sanctuary."

"I know, I know. I'm safe here. No one can get me here. But … but I have friends out there. I haven't heard anything from them. If they're hurt, I can help."

"Oh please. You can't help," Gothel scoffed. "Yes. You have the power. But you aren't strong enough. People would get hurt trying to protect you. Even if you can heal them, do you really want to put your friends through the pain? And that's only if you don't end up captured by their enemies. Oh, I can see what would happen. You'll end up having to watch as they kill all your friends, while you heal them from any injuries that your friends inflict. But if you want to throw away what I did for you; what _everyone_ did for you. Fine, go ahead. I won't stop you."

Gothel grabbed the ends of Rapunzel's hair and lowered herself back to the ground leaving Rapunzel watching through the window, again.

* * *

During the long flight away from Berk, Hiccup's confidence started to slip. Safe at home in his bed, the idea of talking to the Scottish king seemed so simple, so straight forward. But as he drew closer to Scotland, he started to remember what had happened last year. Only bits and pieces. Being locked in the dungeon, having Pitch Black come in with his black sand. The way the sand forced itself into him, filling his lungs and skin, twisting and turning. Corrupting him.

What if the King and Queen were still thinking along those lines? What if they wouldn't listen to him? They probably blamed him for Merida running away. How could he face them?

When Toothless got close to the Scottish cliffs, Hiccup directed him to land on a small island. They were technically not on Scottish shores. This island would be a good vantage point to keep an eye out for threats, either heading to the Archipelago, or coming to Scotland.

He was probably only a few hours' flight away from Hogwarts, where Merida should be.

"Let's stop here," Hiccup said, climbing off of Toothless. The dragon started chasing a bunny. Hiccup smiled. This would be a good home for them, at least until he got brave enough to cross that border.

He summoned the materials to build a shelter. As he started on the structure, a shadow appeared. It started to form in the very familiar shape of his old potions master. Hiccup's eyes narrowed. He raised his arm and flung it at the shadow.

"You'll never be able - "

Pitch Black was cut off as Toothless sent a plasma blast at him. For a moment there was a burning, gaping hole in the center of the shadow. Then it faded into nothing.

"Well. At least we know you can fight shadows. I wonder what else can?" Hiccup mused as he resumed construction. Whether Pitch was summoned by his feelings of fear or the cause of them, he didn't know, but whatever it was, he would put a stop to it. He must if he wanted to stop the war.

* * *

Almost as soon as Merida collapsed on the Gryffindor couch exhausted, a student knocked on the door. Heaving a sigh, she got up and let Aiden in. Aiden wasn't a student. She'd found him wandering around the ruins of his house. He wouldn't talk. Or couldn't. She didn't know which. But she had been bringing most of the orphaned wizards to Hogwarts. They would need an education if they wanted to survive in this world, and they made good companions for her brothers in the meantime.

Tonight, though, he didn't come to play. He tugged at her skirt until she followed him to the Great Hall. There, a mob of small Tooth Fairies flitted about. One of them flew to her, chirping about something. Merida couldn't speak fairy, but she understood the drill. The fairies had found danger.

Leaving the children behind, Merida donned her cloak and left the safety of the castle following the tiny fairy. Following a fairy on foot sucked, but Angus had yet to turn up.

It was almost dawn by the time they reached the town, and Merida's feet felt like lead. But she had to keep going. She could hear the shouts as she approached.

Merida pulled her cloak up so it covered most of her face and entered the fray. An adult woman was bound to a pole in the ground. The Muggles lit the fire. Under her breath, Merida cast the flame-freeze spell.

She watched as the woman gave a brief smile, acknowledging that she knew about the spell, before she started to scream as though in pain.

Merida turned to go. The witch could handle it from here. She would give a good act of dying and then after they cut her loose assuming she was dead she could run off to hide.

Before Merida could get clear of the town, however, she heard a different scream. Three children broke away from the crowd that held them back.

"LET MY MOTHER GO!" the oldest boy screamed, punching the man who had set the fire. The Muggles started to attack the children. The mother dropped her act.

"Leave them alone!" she screamed from the flames. "THEY'RE MUGGLES."

Muggles. Merida wouldn't be able to help them if they were burned. She didn't know if the flame freeze spell even worked for Muggles.

She had to save them now. Merida ran up and gave a flying kick at the Muggle who was pummeling the oldest boy. Her cloak fell back and the crowd gasped in shock. Merida didn't have time for them now, though. She sent a severing spell at the ropes that held the witch and the two of them grabbed the three children.

"To Hogsmeade," Merida instructed. The mother nodded and they apparated back towards the school, taking the kids in sidealong apparation.

They arrived in the woods near the town. The children were crying and screaming, but their mother was on it. She picked up her youngest child and kissed her on the forehead.

"It's okay, my love. We're safe now." Slowly the kids relaxed.

"What happened?" Merida asked, checking everyone over for injuries, from either the beating or splinching. Only mild bruising. Nothing to worry about.

"It was my fault," the mother said, her eyes downcast. "My husband and I had a row. I forget what it was even about. But it ended when I cursed him, and then he turned the town after me."

"He was gonna make us watch," the middle boy interjected. "Said that's what comes from 'sociatin' with witches. And if we'd a-been witches, it'd be the same for us."

The mother hugged her children and promised them they'd be safe. Merida stood up and led them to the castle.

"Why are we going into a bog?" the oldest one, about 13, said.

"It's my old school," the mother said. "Muggles can't see it anymore, I guess?"

"It was the only way to protect us," Merida explained. "Muggles won't attack what they can't see. We hope."

The idea had come from the Guardians. In the past, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus had all been well known. But as adults started to abuse their powers, they faded from view, working only at night where no adults could see them. The principle behind hiding Hogwarts was the same, and most other magic strongholds, such as Santoff Klaussen, Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and Godric's Hollow, followed suit.

Even though the children couldn't see it, Merida and the mother led them across the gates to the castle.

"Hey, I think we forgot something," the kids started to protest.

"No, that's just a spell on the castle to keep Muggles out. Keep going," Merida instructed.

"I really think we've forgotten something," the oldest said again. "We should go back home."

His mother took his hand and pulled him through the barrier.

The kids gasped as their eyes adjusted to the magic.

"You lived in a castle?" the youngest asked her mother.

She smiled, "It's a school … actually."

As they started to go up the steps, a sixth year Slytherin girl raced out, her wand ready, "Keep back, savages!"

"They're with me, Priscilla," Merida explained.

"No Muggles," the girl said. "That's the rule."

"We can't go with Mommy?" the middle boy said, yawning.

"Please," the woman begged. "My home is gone. We have nowhere else."

"How do we know you aren't spies?"

"My children are not spies," the mother promised.

"I'm the princess," Merida said. "I make the rules. And I say that they can stay. At least for a few nights. We can move them to a more Muggle accepting safe hold later."

"Muggle accepting?" the oldest boy questioned. "Why aren't we accepted?"

"What's your name?" Merida asked, turning to the witch.

"I'm Caitlin," the mother said. "These are my sons, Peter and Joshua. And my daughter, Alice."

"Well, Peter," Merida said, addressing the oldest one, "we're just trying to keep the evil Muggles out. The ones who tried to hurt your mom. Just them. Not good ones like you."

"Speak for yourself," Priscilla snapped. "I don't think we should admit any Muggles. I'm going to tell the headmaster."

Merida rolled her eyes but let her go. Priscilla would soon find out that Headmaster Ombric wasn't in his office. He was back in Santoff Klaussen.

Merida and Caitlin took the children and gave them a tour of the castle.

* * *

Jack awoke in the chicken coop. He'd been stuck here for several days now. Well, not really 'stuck'. The day after he found Merida, the villagers had taken him out for a trial. Sort of. It was mostly a debate on whether he was evil or not. They would occasionally ask questions, but Jack had a feeling that his answers weren't really what they wanted. They were looking for proof. A reason to banish him, or worse.

He was very careful to keep his answers neutral, keeping any possible mischief out of his voice. Not an easy feat. To prove his sincerity, he volunteered to stay in the chicken coop (the chickens had been removed for fear that Jack might freeze them.) He'd remain behind the pastor's house, where anyone could see him if they wanted to, and see he wasn't up to anything. It was very boring.

Jack longed to be up to something. He dreamt of pranks he could never play. Plots he could never enact. Mischief he could never make. But if there was one thing Jack knew, it was jokes. And this audience would not be receptive to anything he could come up with.

So Jack forced down his impulse. He suppressed his instinct to make trouble. And he sat patiently, and completely bored, in the chicken coop. If anyone bothered to check on him, they could see he was being very, very good. Especially for him.

Not that anyone was out to see him tonight. So why was he awake?

Jack squinted in the moonlight, gazing at the shadows. Was it his imagination, or were they moving in an unnatural way? Then he heard a familiar voice.

"They don't care about you," it taunted. Jack scanned the trees, but couldn't see anyone or anything clearly. Only shadows.

"They're going to leave you here forever," the shadow said.

"Go away," Jack commanded, trying not to let his voice shake. Pitch couldn't do anything. He couldn't come into town. He couldn't influence the people here.

"They'll forget about you, Jack," Pitch said. "Everyone you care about. They'll forget you ever existed. They'll leave you there to die slowly. Painfully. Forgotten."

Jack set his jaw, trying to hide his fear. He couldn't let Pitch get to him, "Maybe I don't care. If you stay out of this town, it's worth it."

"Jack?" Emma, Jack's sister, called. Jack popped up, trying not to let his heart pound. He couldn't let Pitch know how scared he was.

"Emma, come into the moonlight," Jack commanded. The little girl did as her brother commanded. Jack scanned the trees, but there was no way to know if Pitch was there or not. No way of knowing how much he could do. Now, how to keep her safe without scaring her?

"Emma, stay in the moonlight," Jack instructed. "It'll keep you safe from boogeymen."

"Is that one of your tricks, Jack?" Emma asked, arms crossed.

Jack smiled, "Ah, you know me too well. But seriously. Stay in the moonlight. The prank isn't set up just right yet. It won't be as fun if you don't wait. Now, why'd you come?"

"Your letter came," Emma said, handing Jack the envelope. "I guess this means I'm not a witch or I would have gotten a letter, too, huh?"

"There's nothing wrong with being a Muggle," Jack said. "Mother's a Muggle. And so is your father. It wouldn't be so bad if you grew up to be just like them."

Emma halfheartedly nodded. She stood awkwardly for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I didn't know you'd gone. After the pastor gave me his Bible, I walked away and tried to find you. He saw me. It made him suspicious. He told everyone, and now you're stuck."

"Hey, don't worry about it. They would have caught me anyway. I'm not exactly good at keeping quiet," Jack said gently. "And anyway, it's not so bad in here. Look. Now I've got a real feather bed."

Jack reached down and grabbed a fistful of feathers. He threw them up, "Look, Emma. I can make snow that isn't cold."

Emma laughed as the feathers landed on Jack's head. For a moment she was smiling, and then, "Are you cold?"

"No," Jack lied. Even though he couldn't be hurt by extreme cold, he could still feel it. And the night was chillier than normal, probably due to his emotions. Emma was starting to shiver. Jack made a concentrated effort to warm up their patch of land.

"Mother's baking bread," Emma said. "A whole loaf, just for you. And Dad's talking with the village council."

"Emma," Jack said, interrupting the little girl. "You should go home."

"But I want to be with you," Emma protested.

"Me, too. And we will be. Soon. Just have some faith in me. Go home. Stay in the light. And I promise you'll be okay. And so will I. And some day, we'll play together, without a care in the world. Now, go. Before anyone notices you're here."

Emma nodded and left. Jack maintained a smile until she was gone, then he turned back to the trees.

"You were wrong," Jack said. "She didn't forget me."

There was no response. Was Pitch still there? Jack didn't know, and he had a feeling that was what Pitch wanted. Not knowing was scarier than anything Pitch could have said.

* * *

King Frederic paced around the throne room as the Captain of the Guard came in. He knelt before the king.

"Sire, my men have scouted for the tower, but we can't find it."

"What do you mean, you can't find it?" King Frederic asked. "You've visited before, haven't you?"

"Well … yes, a long time ago. We escorted the builders who put it up for the child. But even though we took the same path, we couldn't find the glen. It was just … gone."

The King pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sire, I bet my horse Maximus could sniff them out," the Captain suggested. "Do you have him doing anything?"

"What? The horse? Last I saw him, he was with you and your daughter, heading out on your mission."

"I sent her and Max home several months ago when we caught a Coronian thief in Russia. I continued on alone, until you sent for me."

"She never arrived," King Fredrick said. "I thought they were still with you."

The Captain held himself very still. King Frederic could see the conflict in his eyes. He was torn between the duty to the king and the duty to his family. The king understood that well.

He turned away, "If you think that Maximus can find Rapunzel, you may as well go after him and your daughter. But once you find them, you must return and find mine."

The king kept his eyes focused on a tree outside, where Queen Ariana was picking apples. He let a tear slip for Rapunzel. Neither of them would be happy that they had to wait longer for their child.

"Thank you, my lord," the Captain said. He exited. King Frederic, now alone, collapsed on his throne. How would he ever tell Ariana that Rapunzel was missing?


	5. On the Move

"Still no letters?" Rapunzel asked, looking up the chimney.

"Get away from there!" Gothel cried, pulling her away. Gothel pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the soot off of Rapunzel's hair. "I'm sure it's just because our plan is working."

"But I thought at least my friends-"

"They're only trying to help you," Gothel said, cutting Rapunzel off. "They know the spell keeps people out, but to be on the safe side they aren't going to test it. Now come, sing for mummy."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel sighed. She settled down and sang her song. The magic made her feel better, but she still couldn't believe that no one had written to her all summer. It was almost time to get supplies for school. But not only had she not received her book list yet, her friends had also not attempted to coordinate what day they would be going.

"Mother?" Rapunzel asked later that evening. "Do you think they're okay? Maybe they've been hurt or-"

"I'm sure it's nothing!" Gothel said, putting her fingers to Rapunzel's lips. "Your friends are just too busy for you, what with wars and everything."

"I should be helping them," Rapunzel mumbled. Gothel pushed her away.

"Honestly, you know how I feel about the mumbling. Are you trying to hurt the only person who cares for you?"

"Sorry, Mother," Rapunzel said quickly. She turned to look out the window. Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight, her friends waited. She pulled her knees up to her chest and looked to the ground. She should be down there with them. Not hiding up here.

This felt wrong. But Mother said it was right. And Mother was always right. Mother knows best, after all.

Rapunzel heaved a sigh and wished on the stars for her friends to talk to her soon.

* * *

Flynn looked down at the map Cassandra had insisted upon buying. Flynn had argued that she should have just let him steal it. They'd have money for food if he'd stolen it. But no. She had to be honorable.

Never mind the pains in his stomach. Not that she and Maximus weren't hungry, too. But they weren't the ones who had to keep finding ways of slowing the little party down so the Stabbington brothers could keep up, all while not letting his companions know what he was doing. Now she and Max had gone into a village to see if they could work for a bit more money, leaving Flynn to find their way.

They'd officially crossed over into India yesterday. Now the hard part. Flynn had no clue where to look for the Tooth Fairy palace. His only clue was 'India'. Now that he was here, he didn't know what to do. There was no obvious castle or sign saying 'Teeth memories here: Welcome! Thieves get a free toothbrush.'

The leaves beside him rustled. Flynn resisted flinching as the Stabbington brothers stepped out.

"You shouldn't be out in the open," Flynn said. "Cass and Max could be back any minute."

The brothers sneered and stroked their swords, "We'll take care of them."

"Hey, no need for that," Flynn said. He didn't know why he cared. Sure, Cassandra was kind of cute. What could he say. He had a thing for brunettes. But he really should have jumped at the chance to get away from his arresting officer. Nevertheless, he found himself defending her, "I've got the girl wrapped around my pinkie. But I'll tell you what; you wanna help me? See if you can rustle up some food. I can't steal on an empty stomach."

"Just remember where your loyalties lie," one of them said, poking Flynn in the ribs. "We get the biggest take of the loot."

Flynn nodded and the bothers left. He rubbed his chest. He'd remember where his loyalties lay, alright. To no one but himself. Someday he'd be alone.

Alone on an island. An island that he owned, yes. Surrounded by an enormous pile of money. Then he could be happy.

Flynn looked back down at the map. If there was a Tooth Fairy palace that no one knew about, it was probably isolated, just like his dream island. He crossed off all the human settlements listed and looked for a big secluded place. He spotted several valleys in the mountains. The largest was as likely a place as any.

To the mountains it was.

* * *

Jack woke up to another voice he didn't like. The pastor.

"It's time," the pastor said, unlocking the latch. The truth was, a chicken coop wasn't meant as a human prison. Jack could have easily escaped anytime. He hoped that choosing to stay would help him look harmless.

Jack expected to be led to the town center. To be sentenced in front of the whole town. But the pastor didn't take him to the town square. He took him out into the woods.

Only one villager was there. John was waiting on a rock, holding Jack's staff.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"You're leaving," John said, tossing Jack the staff. He grabbed a pack. Jack recognized it as his school supplies and clothes. "The town made their decision."

"Am I being banished?" Jack asked.

"No," the pastor said, "but your father and I feel it is best you leave."

"What about Mom and Emma?" Jack asked.

"They had their say," John said. "It was their idea that you go."

"But … if I'm not banished...?" Jack questioned.

"The town did not decide to banish you," the pastor said. "They decided to turn you over to the magic removal man."

"Pitch Black," Jack guessed. John nodded.

"I recognized him from your tales of school," John confirmed. "When Emma and I guessed who he was, she objected to the decision. But the council wouldn't listen to a girl. If you don't leave, we'll have to turn you over."

"The town doesn't know about your true parentage," the pastor added.

John spoke again, "The magic removal man may well be able to make ordinary wizards and witches normal, but I don't think it would have the same effect on your ice powers. And if you still had powers after going through the removal process, I don't know what the people may do. For your own good, you must go."

Without waiting for a response, John buckled Jack's cloak around his neck and handed him the bag.

"Can't I even say goodbye to Mom and Emma?" Jack asked, his eyes starting to water.

"Once it's discovered that you're gone, the blame will fall on your family," the pastor said. "They are pleading with the council now. If you go to them, if they aid you ... No. Do not see them."

"I don't want to run away," Jack protested, tears starting to fall. "I don't want to leave."

"You have no choice," the pastor said. "We must get magic out of this town. This is the only way that will not harm you."

"You've already caused our house to burn, and my daughter to be hurt," John said. "I'll not let you harm my family more. You will go."

Jack's heart fell at the harsh tone. Sure, John wasn't his biggest fan. But he still felt that the older man considered him part of the family. John must have realized how cruel he sounded. He put his hands on Jack's shoulders and pulled him away where the pastor couldn't hear them.

"I don't believe in handing you over to the man who once kidnapped my daughter," John said, "but I'm not terribly fond of magic in my house, either. So we're giving you a chance. Go to your last year of school. We will lead the people to believe that you've gone to the shadow man. If you can get your powers under control to the point where the rest of the village will believe you've had them removed, you will be allowed to stay."

Jack could feel the temperature dropping with his feelings. He grabbed his pack and staff and took off, concentrating on not letting his power get the best of him. Losing control wouldn't do any good.

Once he was in the air, he felt slightly better, though his stepfather's words still hurt. Trying not to dwell on his pain, he turned to more practical thoughts. Where could he go? Merida said Hogwarts was taking refugees, but he'd turned down her assistance before. He really didn't want to go crawling back and admit she was right and it was hopeless to try for peace between Muggles and wizards.

Besides. Going to any of the 'safe' houses would make him feel like a refugee. He didn't want to be one. He had to go somewhere else. Somewhere he wouldn't be reminded of what happened.

He could go to the Winter Woods. No one would mind a freak snowstorm there. But he might run into his real dad. Or another Ice Elf. He hadn't been very good at fulfilling his 'make us look good' sentence. He didn't want them to decide to keep him forever in their ice prison. So where did that leave?

As he reached the tops of the trees, he saw the sunrise. Jack turned south.

* * *

Hiccup flew around Scotland, careful not to cross the border. Toothless was nearly invisible at night, so they had no problems with being seen. He counted six watch-towers scattered across the country, but none of them were swarming with Scots. At most one or two. Just look-outs. That probably meant that the army was centrally located, waiting for a sign from one of the towers, maybe a flame or something. If there was an army. Nothing to worry about yet. The Scots posed no imminent threat to Berk or the Archipelago.

Hiccup landed back on his island and went into his makeshift hut. He would be the first to admit he wasn't a master builder. The hut offered basic shelter, but not much else. Why had he never paid attention when the village rebuilt after a dragon attack?

At least it served its purpose, keeping out the worst of the night chill and rain, as long as he didn't mind the walls wobbling any time a gentle breeze hit the building, and the steady drip, drip, dripping of the rain, leaking in the sides.

Fortunately, it wasn't too cold. Toothless saw to that. He always heated his granite slab before bed, which gave the building a cozy warmth, similar to the blacksmith's stall that Hiccup had spent so many hours apprenticing at.

Hiccup climbed onto the boards he called a bed and pulled up the cover. As Hiccup started to drift off, he heard voices. Rousing himself quickly, he pushed back the blanket and crept to the door, pressing his ear against the crack.

"Should we nae repor' it?" one of the voices said.

"Looks like what we're after," another one said.

"It's ken good," the third voice said. Voices Hiccup recognized: the lords' sons from Scotland. They knew him. They'd even helped rescue him last year. A panic fluttered in his chest as he thought of last year.

They'd helped him escape from the Fearling poison. But that didn't mean they were on his side. Now that their tribes were officially at war and magic was outlawed, Hiccup couldn't trust the Muggles. No matter how friendly they seemed.

Trying not to let his metal leg creak or clunk, he moved over to Toothless and attached his tail.

"Time to go, bud," Hiccup whispered. Climbing onto the back of the dragon, Hiccup and Toothless took off through the back and disappeared into the night.

* * *

"Why do we have to go?" Peter, the Muggle, complained.

"I'm sure Godric's Hollow is just as nice as here," Caitlin said.

"Sorry," Merida shrugged, "but this _is_ a school. While it's serving as a refuge over the summer, we have to get it ready for the school year. And that means finding better homes for the refugees, so the students will have somewhere to sleep."

"Your brothers get to stay," Joshua grumbled.

"I'm a student and my brothers are here as my guests," Merida said. "And they're wizards. You've seen what Priscilla thinks of Muggles. There's going to be more like her coming back for the school year. Godric's Hollow is a fine place. I've relocated several mixed families there."

The kids grumbled but followed Merida out of the castle. Because the children were Muggles, Merida determined it would be better to walk the distance than try side along apparition again. It was a long distance. And not the safest for wizards and witches. Merida had been looking for somewhere closer, but none of the other hidden towns were willing to accept three Muggles, even ones with a witch for a mother.

As they started their journey, Merida made the mistake of passing Castle DunBroch. Or maybe it was a subconscious desire to see Angus again. To see her family. What did they think of her? Were they still mad? Did they see her as a traitor? Or did they think she was just confused. When the castle came into sight, Merida heard a haunting voice singing a familiar tune.

" _A naoidhean bhig,_

 _cluinn mo ghuth_

 _Mise ri d' thaobh,_

Merida's heart ached with the melody. Before she could think logically, she found herself singing along,

 _"Ó mhaighdean bhàn_

 _Ar rìbhinn òg, fàs a's faic_

 _Do thìr, dìleas fhéin"_

The haunting voice stopped, but Merida didn't.

 _A ghrian a's a ghealach, stiùir sinn_

 _Gu uair ar cliù 's ar glòir_

Then the other voice joined in again.

 _"Naoidhean bhig, ar rìbhinn òg_

 _Mhaighdean uasal bhàn"_

There was quiet after that. Caitlin and her children were staring at her. Merida closed her eyes and turned away from Castle DunBroch before they could send the guards out to fetch her. She had to get this family to Godric's Hollow … maybe then she could return home and see her family again. She had to hope.

* * *

Rapunzel waited by her window. What else could she do? She'd painted, brushed her hair, painted, baked, painted, played darts, painted, practiced ventriloquism and painted. In short, she was bored.

"What do you want to do, Pascal?" Rapunzel finally asked. The scenery outside never changed. It was beautiful, no question. But what she wouldn't give for a bit of movement. A bit of life. A bird, or a breeze. Something.

Pascal chirped and started to climb down the wall of the tower. Rapunzel grabbed him and took him back inside.

"No. I like it inside," Rapunzel lied. "I don't want to go out. It, it's too dangerous, too scary… too wonderful."

Rapunzel sighed. She had to get some kind of project going. Something, anything, to take her mind off the forbidden realm. Maybe she should read her books. Or chart some stars? No, that wouldn't work until the sun set.

Rapunzel suddenly shivered. Cold? Why would she be cold in Corona in summer?

She looked outside and saw the sky rapidly clouding over. But instead of rain, was that … snow?

Rapunzel flung the shutters wide just before Jack Frost blasted into her tower.

He looked up and gave a small smile as the snow started to fall on her tower alone.

"Hey … can I crash here until school starts?" he asked.

Rapunzel smiled and nodded. She ran to the kitchen to see what she had. Looks like she wouldn't be dining alone.


	6. Flynn's Nightmare

Gothel had a heart attack when she saw the inside of the tower covered in ice. Fortunately, Rapunzel was there to sing for her. Once she recovered from her episode she glared at the boy, who was making hidden patterns in the ice for Rapunzel to find.

"Rapunzel, dear," Gothel said, never letting her eyes off the boy, "go make sure your room is clean. I need a word with our guest."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel said as she left. Once the girl was out of sight, Gothel grabbed Jack's arm.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but it won't work," Gothel hissed. "Rapunzel is mine. _MINE_. You've seen her, she's okay, now you go."

Gothel stood up and dragged Jack to his feet. Jack wrenched his arm free.

"Hey, I didn't come to check up on her, though I would have frozen you solid if she hadn't been okay," Jack said in low tones so Rapunzel wouldn't hear.

"Why are you here?" Gothel demanded. She had been waiting for Pitch to come tell her Jack was dead. The boy wasn't supposed to come to the tower ever again.

"I needed somewhere to go," Jack said. He glanced down, "They … they kicked me out of my village."

"Oh, Jack," Rapunzel said from the door of her room. She ran and embraced him. Gothel could do little more than scowl. He couldn't be here. Pitch was supposed to kill him. But Pitch couldn't get into the tower. The boy picked the one place in the world that he was safe, and he didn't even realize it.

Before Gothel could think of a way to kick him out, Rapunzel spoke up.

"Of course you can stay," Rapunzel volunteered. "It'll be nice to have a friend."

Gothel rolled her eyes but decided not to fight it. There would be time to get rid of the boy later. Leaving them together, Gothel went into the kitchen to make supper. She briefly thought about poisoning Jack, but quickly decided against it. Rapunzel would just heal him and then he'd have an excuse to take her away. But there had to be some way to get rid of him. She would find it.

* * *

Flynn Rider tossed and turned in his sleep.

 _Eleven year old Eugene Fitzherbert walked down the hall long after the other students had gone to bed. He wasn't technically supposed to be out this late, but he knew the head of Slytherin, Pitch Black, wouldn't care if he wasn't in bed. The head of house didn't care about children._

 _He had hoped that by staying out late, he might avoid a confrontation with his seven roommates. His arm still hurt from where they'd twisted it yesterday. As Eugene had hoped, the others were asleep when he reached the room._

 _He gave a sigh of relief and headed to his bed. In the dark, he couldn't see the bed. He sat down and felt a cold squish. His bed was coated in mud._

 _Eugene gasped at the sensation, waking up the other boys. They all snickered as Eugene tried to wipe the mud off his nightshirt. He supposed he could change out of it, but what was the point. His bed was still covered in mud, and he had nowhere else to go. The other boys knew it._

" _Why can't you just leave me alone!" Eugene cried, grabbing a handful of mud and hurling it at Jason. All seven of the boys jumped out of bed and ganged up on Eugene. Cyrus and Rolf grabbed him while Earl, the largest of the first year boys, aimed a punch at Eugene._

 _Flinching, Eugene turned his head at just the wrong time, and the fist came in contact with his nose at an awkward angle. There was a sharp crack as pain rippled through his head._

 _Seeing the blood, the other boys let go of Eugene. Earl looked down at his hands, "I ... I didn't mean it. You won't tell the professor ... will you?"_

 _Eugene reached up to touch his injured nose. Tattling had never worked before, but he supposed they'd never broken a nose before._

 _"Of course he won't," Cyrus said, though there was a little hesitation in his voice. A few of the boys gave nervous chuckles._

" _Hey!" Mickey said, breaking the tension. "The mud is mixing with his blood. Now his blood looks like what it is! Mud blood."_

 _The boys laughed loudly, abandoning their fear. They jumped on Eugene and ground his face into the mud, further spreading the mixture. He cried, and screamed as they hit him when he tried to get up._

 _"If we're going to get in trouble for breaking your nose," Jason growled, "we might as well make sure it's worth it, mudblood."_

 _Suddenly, a dark shadow materialized over the boys. The boys stopped tormenting Eugene as they looked up into the piercing eyes of Professor Pitch Black._

 _He smirked and they all jumped back in fear. All but Eugene, who was still crying in a pile of mud._

" _Go to sleep," Pitch commanded. "I'll take care of the … what did you call him? Mud blood. And you needn't worry. I'll see to it that none of the other professors question Eugene's injury."_

 _Eugene shrunk back as Professor Black wrapped his arm around him. He pulled Eugene to his feet and took him to his office._

 _Once they were alone, Pitch sat him down in a chair. Eugene cradled his nose. He knew his roommates hated him, but he didn't think they'd go this far, even if they hadn't meant it. Their regrets only amounted to fear of getting in trouble. They didn't care what they'd done to him._

" _Do you want me to heal it?" Pitch asked. Eugene hesitated. Pitch didn't wait for a response, he took his wand and waved it._

"Episkey _!" he shouted. First it burned, then it went cold, but it did seem to be mended. Eugene wiped the blood away with his sleeve. His clothes were ruined anyway._

" _So," Professor Black said once Eugene cleaned himself up a bit. "You were fighting with the others."_

" _No- it was them. I didn't do anything!"_

 _Professor Black circled around the chair Eugene was in, "Come now. I'm sure they had some reason. You did something to set them off."_

 _Eugene crossed his arms across his chest, "No. They just hate me because I don't know who my parents are."_

" _Why should that be of any concern to them?" Pitch prompted._

" _I don't know. They're idiots?"_

" _So … they just hate orphans?" Pitch was leading him, Eugene could tell. He knew perfectly well why the other students constantly tortured Eugene, he just wanted Eugene to say it. Eugene gave in._

" _No … muggleborns."_

" _Ah, so you're muggle born," Pitch said. Eugene stiffened. Again, he got the feeling that Pitch was leading him. making him say it._

" _I don't know. I was left at the orphanage as a baby. I don't know if my parents were wizards. I don't know if they're alive." Eugene pulled his knees up to his chest. He wished he knew something, anything, about them. Did he look like them? Were they muggles? Did they think he was a freak like some of the kids at the orphanage did when they found out Eugene was a wizard?_

" _My poor, sweet child," Pitch Black said, wrapping his arm around Eugene. "But you do know that this is all your fault."_

 _"What?"_

 _"You are not the only orphan to come to Hogwarts. You are not the only one who cannot tell what your blood status is. But you are the only Slytherin foolish enough to not, at the very least, pretend to hate the muggles you may have come from. Normally I would allow you to deal with the consequences of your own foolishness on your own, but you are starting to disturb the sleep of the other students. So ... would you like a second chance?"_

" _A what?" Eugene said, stirring from his thoughts._

" _A second chance. With your roommates."_

" _How?"_

" _I can erase their memory of Eugene Fitzherbert. Or rather … replace. Yes. Once I cast the spell, Eugene Fitzherbert will be gone from this school. No one will remember him. No one will remember that there ever was a student by that name. And in his place, a new student. Someone who was sick for the first few months of school. Someone who, when asked about his parentage, will do the smart thing and say they were wizards, and display a healthy sense of hatred for muggles."_

 _Eugene looked up into the professor's eyes as they narrowed. What choice did he have? He couldn't keep living like this. Today a broken nose, tomorrow a broken arm, if they didn't kill him outright._

" _Thank you, professor," Eugene said, bowing his head._

" _Go back to bed," Professor Black commanded. "In the morning, you will introduce yourself with whatever new identity you choose. But remember. This is a one time offer. If you fail to make them like the new you, I will not help again."_

 _Eugene went back to his room. The professor had fixed his nose, but not done anything to help clean off his bed or clothes. As Eugene set about cleaning it up, he picked out his new identity._

 _In the morning, Eugene woke to the other boys gathered around his bed. He tried to hold back a cower. They wouldn't hurt him again, would they?_

" _Who are you?" Alec asked._

 _Eugene swallowed. "I … I'm Flynn Rider."_

 _He picked the name from his favorite muggle story book, counting on the pureblood wizards to not know where it came from. They gave no sign of recognizing the name, so Eugene - no, Flynn - continued his lie._

" _I had a pox and couldn't start school right away," he fibbed. "But I'm all better now."_

" _Your parents didn't heal you?" Mickey asked._

" _Well … my parents, who were most definitely a witch and wizard, they're dead," Flynn said. No sense in pretending he wasn't an orphan. They might ask him things about his nonexistent parents._

 _The boys shrugged and invited him to sit with them at breakfast._

 _Every step of the way, Flynn's heart filled with fear, but no one spoiled the secret. Everyone asked who he was, even the professors. To each he introduced himself as Flynn Rider, pureblood orphan._

 _By the end of the day, Flynn had almost forgotten that there ever was a Eugene. Until they were passing a Gryffindor student. One of Flynn's roommates told him to trip the Gryffindor. As Eugene, he would have refused. But he didn't want to screw up his new identity the first day he had it. He stuck out his foot and the Gryffindor fell flat on his face._

" _That'll teach the mudblood," Edmund said._

 _Flynn laughed along with the others, not letting on how the name made his blood run cold. He knew it was Professor Black's doing that they still remembered the nickname. A reminder that Flynn was fake. That Professor Black could take it all away if Flynn ever displeased him. That he would always be in Pitch Black's debt._

Flynn Rider woke from the nightmare with a start. He hated nightmares about his time as Eugene. Why couldn't the past stay in the past?

* * *

Hiccup returned to his hut a day after the Scottish boys had visited. He knew he needed to leave now that his hut had been discovered. He packed up the few things he'd spread out, one of which was a half-started letter to his dad.

With a sigh, Hiccup decided to finish it before moving on.

 _Dear Dad,_

 _Sorry for running away but I know when you're wrong. This is one of those times. My friends need me. I have to help ease the tension. But I can only do it from here. Please don't come after me. The Terrors are trained to find me if you need to communicate. But I am happy and safe here. Toothless will protect me._

 _We will stop this war and then I will come home. I promise. Please go easy on Gobber and the other dragon riders. They're only trying to help._

 _-Love, Hiccup_

Hiccup sighed. It wasn't his best work, but it would ease Stoick's conscience. As long as Hiccup wrote frequently, the older man would have no cause to rush into Scotland to rescue him. They could achieve peace. Hopefully.

Hiccup gave the letter to a Terrible Terror he'd brought with him and finished packing. Now to find somewhere else to stay. His first instinct was to fly to Hogwarts. Hogwarts was probably the safest place. Full of wizards, somewhat comfortable and with a nice area of woods for Toothless to run around in.

Hiccup started Toothless towards the school, but as they approached the Scottish border, he started to shake. Toothless responded to his involuntary shutters and turned away from the school. What was wrong with him? He'd never had this kind of panic attack before. Why couldn't he just force himself into Scotland? If he couldn't cross that border, he might as well have stayed on Berk.

Toothless must have sensed his rider's distress. He didn't wait for Hiccup to make up his mind on where to go. Toothless turned south.

"Where do you think you're going?" Hiccup asked, though he made no attempt to turn Toothless back to Scotland. Toothless made a sort of chuckling noise, as if to say 'you'll see'. Hiccup trusted his dragon. He would face his fears later. For now, Toothless would take care of him.

* * *

Merida held out her arm, a signal to the family to stop and be quiet. She took deep calming breaths and listened. A river babbled nearby, but mixed in with the natural flow were several ungraceful splashes. Merida knew that sound. Trial by water.

Indicating that the family was to stay put, Merida pulled up her hood and dashed towards the sound. She found an old lady being thrown in the river. Focusing on the neck, Merida quickly deduced that the woman had already eaten gillyweed. She was in no danger, unless the muggles noticed. Merida hung back as the woman plunged underneath the water. They left her under for several minutes.

Merida held her breath as the woman was pulled out. She'd seen the ways this could play out. Either the people would declare that since she was alive, God had spared her and she wasn't evil, or they would declare that since she was alive, she'd made a pact with the devil and only survived because of his evil interference.

The woman was laid on the ground. One of the muggles checked her over. Merida held her wand under her cloak, ready to help if the verdict was negative. But the muggle pronounced the woman dead. Promising to take care of the body, he made everyone else shuffle away, following after them.

Merida ran to the woman. The muggle had lied. She was alive. Merida took out a knife and cut off the ropes. The elderly woman slowly sat up.

"You're safe now. What's your name?" Merida asked.

"Thank you, young lady. Nice to see some young people still follow the old ways. My name is Cornelia White. But what are you doing here?"

"I'm taking a family to Godric's Hollow. You can come with us if you'd like," Merida offered.

Cornelia nodded and followed Merida back to where she'd left the family. As they started off towards Godric's Hollow, the woman explained that the townspeople came to her cottage to arrest her for cursing one of them.

"But fortunately, the leader of the town is a squib. He may look like them, but he's really one of us," she said. "He slipped me the gillyweed and told 'em I was dead. The value of squibs is really underrated."

"What's a squib?" Peter questioned.

"Not as bad as a muggle, that's for sure," the old woman said.

"You know Godric's Hollow is a mixed town," Merida said before any of the muggle children could reveal their identity to her.

"Oh, don't worry about that. We'll drive those muggles out," Cornelia said cheerfully.

"We don't need to," Caitlin protested. "The muggles that choose to live in magic communities are just as fine as the wizards."

"You say that now, but just wait until you've been attacked. We shouldn't just go into hiding. We should give them a taste of their own medicine."

Caitlin started to argue with her. Merida closed her eyes. This was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Rapunzel watched as Jack poked at his peas without eating them. Was something wrong with them? Had she overcooked them? Or undercooked them? Or maybe they needed more butter?

Rapunzel tasted her own. They seemed fine. At least compared to Hogwarts' fare. But maybe they weren't up to the Frost family's standards.

"Is something wrong with the food? I can make you something else," Rapunzel offered.

Jack quickly took a bite, giving her a weak smile, "It's delicious, Punzie. Emma would have loved this."

Rapunzel reached out and gently stroked his arm, "You miss her?"

Jack nodded, "It's not like I don't go away every year. But I don't know if I can go back this time. What if that night five days ago was the last time I'm ever going to see her?"

"Maybe she could come here?" Rapunzel proposed.

"NO!" Gothel said. "The entire purpose of using a secret keeper is to NOT have anyone coming to visit."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel sighed, "but I hardly think Emma is dangerous for me. She's just a little girl."

"Little girls can have big mouths," Gothel said firmly. "I know from experience."

Rapunzel shrank away from Jack. Did Mother Gothel mean her? Was she too loud mouthed? She supposed so, or she wouldn't have needed to go into hiding. Mother was right. She was a total failure at keeping secrets.

Gothel leaned over and patted Rapunzel on the head. "Oh, I'm just teasing, stop taking it so personally."

"That didn't sound like teasing to me," Jack said suddenly, a fierce gleam in his eyes. He and Gothel glared at each other for a minute, but Rapunzel couldn't figure out what either of them was thinking.

"So, Punzie," Jack said, finally looking away from Gothel, "how are you getting to Hogwarts this year?"

"How? The Floo of course," Rapunzel said.

"But Merida said you're not connected."

"What?" Rapunzel asked in shock. Jack turned to Gothel.

She was sheepishly looking away, "I … I disconnected the Floo. We don't need it, Rapunzel. We don't need to leave this tower ever again."

"You promised she would go to school," Jack said.

"But ... but ..." Rapunzel stammered, "why didn't you tell me?"

Gothel gave an annoyed sigh, "Honestly, Rapunzel. I thought it would be obvious. You can't be in hiding and be connected to the world, now can you? That would just be silly."

Rapunzel closed her eyes. Was it obvious? It must be. Mother wouldn't lie, would she?

"But if you didn't know," Jack asked Rapunzel, "how did Merida?"

"I sent letters to all your friends," Gothel admitted.

"I never got one. And Merida said the letter was from Rapunzel," Jack said, eyeing Gothel.

"We live in the same house and have the same stationery. If she assumed it was from Rapunzel and not me that's her problem," Gothel snapped. "As for your letter ... I know how much your town fears magic. I sent it regular post. Perhaps one of the villagers intercepted it."

Rapunzel stroked her hair as Jack and Gothel glared at each other. Was she really so stupid that she hadn't noticed the disconnect?

"Are you happy here?" Jack asked, finally breaking off his contest with Mother Gothel.

"Of course. It's my home," Rapunzel said softly.

"You really want to stay here for the rest of your life?" he prodded.

Rapunzel shrugged, "What choice do I have?"

Jack jumped up and grabbed his staff. He reached out his hand.

"Come with me."

"I shouldn't," Rapunzel said.

"You can't!" Gothel said. "I forbid it!"

"We made a pact when I became the secret keeper," Jack said. "Rapunzel isn't a prisoner here."

"It's too dangerous out there," Gothel said. "She could be hurt."

"Not with me!" Jack argued.

Gothel threw up her hands, "Fine. You want to go, go. But don't count on me to come to the rescue if you get in trouble."

Gothel stormed out.

"I really shouldn't," Rapunzel said, looking after Gothel. Jack bent down to his pack and pulled out the invisibility cloak. He grabbed Rapunzel's hair and wrapped it around his waist several times before throwing the cloak over them. Rapunzel let him wrap his arm around her with one hand while he twirled his staff, creating a breeze for them to fly on.

"Where to, Princess?"

"You never call me that. You call Merida that."

"Well … you finally got under my skin," Jack said with a laugh. Jack took her up and over the waterfall, to lay her eyes on her kingdom for the first time. Despite the cool light of the starry sky, the whole place radiated with light and warmth. It felt as safe as her tower.

At one point, they could see the castle in the distance, but Jack didn't take her there. Much as she wanted to see her parents, she was still a little afraid. What if Gothel was right and they really didn't want her? She didn't want their disappointment to spoil the night.

But even without visiting her people, Rapunzel's grin grew and grew. It was the most fun she'd had in a long time.


	7. Trouble in the Alley

"Are you sure about this, Jack?" Rapunzel asked from under the invisibility cloak. Jack had come to live with her about a week ago. Well, Mother wouldn't let him actually 'stay' in the tower. Jack made some snow and built himself an igloo at the bottom of the tower. But he came up for meals and to play.

It was only after Jack arrived that the owl got through with her Hogwarts letter. Rapunzel tried to question Mother about it, but Mother suggested that maybe mail came to the secret keeper. Rapunzel meant to ask Jack about it, but Mother interrupted her, saying that since she had her supply list, perhaps Jack could fly to Diagon Alley to get the items. As long as Rapunzel stayed under the invisibility cloak and stayed by Jack's side, Mother would allow her to go.

Rapunzel had no problem following those rules.

"You're perfectly safe," Jack assured her, "and you remember the escape plan if something happens?"

Rapunzel nodded. She was supposed to run to the fireplace and go to Hogsmeade if there was danger. Jack would pick her up from there.

Jack sighed, "You remember you're invisible, right? I can't see your head or hand gestures."

"Oh. Sorry. I remember," Rapunzel whispered.

She reached out with invisible hands and grabbed Jack's arm so he would know where she was. Together they walked down the crowded street.

"JACK!"

Jack and Rapunzel stopped. Coming out of a side street was Hiccup with Toothless.

Jack started towards Hiccup. Rapunzel didn't let go of him. She didn't want to lose him in the mass of people.

The other wizards and witches ran as Toothless bounded over them. Hiccup grabbed his saddle and kept Toothless from jumping on Jack.

"Rapunzel's here, too," Jack said quickly.

Rapunzel moved closer to Hiccup and touched his arm.

"Get on Toothless," he suggested. Rapunzel did as he instructed and they walked down the street. Riding the dragon, even when not flying, put her above everyone else on the street. She didn't have to worry about people running into her, or stepping on the cloak, or any of the other problems Mother had warned her about. And no one knew she was there.

Jack and Hiccup talked about what was going on in their lives. Several times, Rapunzel wanted to speak up and add something, but knowing she was invisible she couldn't give away her presence by speaking.

"I thought all the shops would be closed," Jack said, "seeing as magic is illegal."

"That's what I thought when I landed here," Hiccup said, "but I guess everyone is using it as a safe haven. Only wizards and witches can get in, so they feel comfortable being themselves in here. It's the one place no one has to hide."

Rapunzel watched the people as they raced from store to store. The boys were right. There were significantly fewer 'shoppers' and many more 'wanderers'. People just strolling around, using magic in the open. What would it be like to not have to hide? She wondered if she'd ever be able to be free like them.

* * *

Hiccup and his friends went around to various shops, but it was more out of habit than actual need. Much as Hiccup loved school and learning, there were just more important things going on right now. Who cares what grade he gets on his N.E.W.T.s when his village might be destroyed? Assuming he could even get over his fear and make it to Hogwarts in the first place.

Jack also passed up books, claiming he'd dropped all his classes. Hiccup didn't know if it was true.

Of course, Rapunzel was still interested in school. She might have to be invisible, but she didn't have to deal with her world collapsing around her. Not that Hiccup would choose to be trapped in a tower for the rest of his life. He'd get that if he went back to Berk. Still, he hadn't expected to be so scared of Scotland.

As Hiccup half-heartedly flipped through a poetry book written in Ancient Runes, the floor started to vibrate, and a wave of heat nearly knocked him over.

Hiccup blinked and choked in the stifling air. Jack touched his staff to the ground, creating a cooling ice.

"What's going on?" Hiccup asked, checking Toothless and finding Rapunzel's invisible hand.

"The patrol," the shopkeeper said, pointing to the window as he magically repaired the damage caused by the heat blast.

Hiccup ran to look out. A mob with torches and wands marched down the street, chanting something. Hiccup opened the door and peeked out.

"MUDBLOODS OUT!" they chanted. "MUGGLES OUT!"

The shopkeeper pulled Hiccup back in and locked the door.

"Every few days they march up the street to Gringotts," he explained, "then they hold an anti-Muggle rally."

"Not all Muggles are bad," Jack said.

"You don't have to tell me," the shopkeeper said. "I'm a half-blood. But what can you expect from Slytherins?"

Jack's face grew grim. He marched to the door and unlocked it, running out. Hiccup whistled to Toothless and Rapunzel and they followed him to the rally.

"THE MUGGLES WON'T STOP!" the leader shouted from the top of the Gringotts steps. "OUR ONLY HOPE IS TO STRIKE FIRST!"

Most of the crowd shouted in agreement. Hiccup hadn't heard such loud cheers since Mildew whipped Berk up into a frenzy trying to get them to ban dragons.

He wove through the crowd until he found Jack, watching the leader.

"Don't listen to this garbage," Hiccup said, trying to pull him away.

Jack brushed him off, "No. I want to know what they're saying. Don't worry. I won't make a scene. I just … I need to know."

Hiccup didn't know if that was a good idea or not. Knowledge was power, but Hiccup had seen this before. They weren't spreading truth. They were trying to get people to think with their feelings. Specifically hate and fear. This was Pitch Black's doing.

But even if his judgment said not to listen to the hateful rhetoric, he couldn't really drag Jack away.

He went back to Toothless and Rapunzel.

"Jack wasn't supposed to leave me," she whispered. "Mother made him promise,"

"Jack knows you're fine. Toothless won't let anything happen to you. Your mother didn't know we'd be here," Hiccup reminded her. He couldn't tell how Rapunzel reacted under the invisibility cloak. He reached out and took the front of Toothless's saddle, leading him away from the mob. Rapunzel lived in a nice, sheltered tower. He didn't want to corrupt her with this hatred. He didn't want her to start having panic attacks the way he was.

As they reached the edge of the rally, Hiccup bumped into a large adult.

"Excuse me," Hiccup said, starting to turn away.

"Where do you think you're going?" the man asked, grabbing Hiccup's arm. Toothless growled, but Hiccup gave him the 'stand down' hand sign. This was a powder keg kind of crowd. Even a slight offense, like bumping into someone, might set them off. He didn't want this to turn from a rally to a mob.

"I'm just … I lost my … my baby Acromantula," Hiccup said. The man screamed and let go.

"Acromantula?" Rapunzel asked once they were a safe distance away.

"Giant man eating spider," Hiccup said. He looked back to the crowd. The burly man ran around, shaking people. Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle. Maybe scaring people was fun. A little. Now if only he could control his own fears.

* * *

Merida with Cornelia and the mixed family in tow walked down past London.

"Can't we stop here?" Peter asked.

"Why would we stop in a Muggle town?" Cornelia snapped. "Keep moving, you weaklings."

"I'll thank you not to speak to m' children like that," Caitlin retorted.

"Good kids help their elders," Cornelia said, "but they didn't do a thing to help us set up camp, now did they? Are they lazy or weak?"

Merida rolled her eyes. Of course the kids had helped, just in a Muggle way. But that didn't count to people like Cornelia.

"Come on," Merida said, trying to distract them before a fight could break out. "We're probably just hungry. Let's stop at Diagon Alley. That's a nice compromise, right?"

Cornelia grumbled, but allowed Merida to lead them through the Muggle town to Diagon Alley. The kids had never been to a big city before, so they kept stopping and staring at the tall buildings and sturdy structures. Merida never really paid attention before. She'd always been so focused on getting to the fun magic part, she ignored the Muggle wonders. Maybe that had been a mistake. Maybe if wizards appreciated what Muggles had accomplished, all without magic, they wouldn't be in this mess right now. As the princess ... maybe that was her responsibility. If she ever regained the title, she'd have to do better.

It was too late for regret. Their only hope was to keep moving. Merida took them to the brick wall that hid Diagon Alley from the rest of the world. Last year she and her father had some trouble getting through it. But now she knew what to do.

Counting the bricks, Merida found the correct one and tapped it. The bricks rearranged themselves to make an entrance. The group of six went in, and immediately Merida regretted her decision.

At the highest point in the alley a life-size doll wearing a white robe was being burned.

"WE'LL give them a taste of their own medicine!" the leader shouted. Cornelia joined in the jubilant shouting.

"HEY! They can't do that!" Peter shouted. Both Caitlin and Merida tried to grab him, but he slipped through their grasp, running up the steps.

He knocked the puppet down before the most passionate at the rally knocked him down.

Merida instructed Caitlin to stay with her other two children while she went after Peter.

"He's a Muggle!" someone from the crowd shouted. How they knew, Merida couldn't tell. The crowd wrestled him down, ripping the burned robe off the puppet and trying to force it on him.

" _EXPELIAMUS_!" Merida shouted, blasting the wizards back. She stood over Peter, protecting him from the mob. This was a larger gathering than she'd ever seen before. The four clans might be unruly, but even with them all gathered together they barely made up a third of this crowd. And they weren't armed with wands. Something told Merida that she couldn't get out of this mess simply by being open to a marriage. Where was Mum to help write a speech when she needed it?

* * *

Jack gasped as the town started to rip apart the Muggle. He held his staff at the ready when someone else blasted everyone back. Climbing up the steps, Princess Merida stood straight and tall. She looked more brave and heroic than Jack imagined she could be. Guess the Sorting Hat put her in the right house after all.

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" Merida demanded of the crowd. A few people nodded, most just watched with stunned silence. The leader of the rally was the one who finally answered.

"You're Princess Merida. Merida the Mudblood," he spat.

Jack resisted the urge to turn him into a Popsicle. He wanted to see what Merida did.

"That's right, I am," Merida acknowledged. "This war is my fault. I used magic to turn my mum into a bear. It was a mistake. And now I see you headed down the same path I once was. Do not fall into this trap. Attacking Muggles will only give them more reason to fear us. It will only make things worse. Stand strong. Stand together."

"We don't listen to mudbloods!" a woman screeched. She hurled something at Merida. Jack jumped up and met it in midair, catching the tomato before it could hit his friend. Merida's face broke out into a grin. She signaled for him to come up with her. Jack landed next to her. A second later, Toothless and Hiccup landed with them.

"I'm here," Rapunzel whispered.

They stood in a circle around the Muggle boy. The people gathered at the rally hadn't expected to be challenged. Most of them stared dumbfounded at the group, especially the dragon. Merida leaned over.

"Now might be the time for one of your fun balls," she said. Jack had to think for a minute before he realized what she meant. He twirled his hand and made a snowball, casting the cheering charm on it. Instead of hitting a specific person, he threw it into the air. Snow descended, one snowflake landing on every nose. They all suddenly burst out laughing. While everyone was distracted by the snow, Merida helped the boy up and they got out of the crowd, joining the boy's family. The Muggles left the alley, promising to meet Merida on the outside.

Jack and his friends headed to a pub.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Merida said as she slid into a booth.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jack promised. "What brings you here? School books?"

"Nah. Those kids. They're like your family. Mixed. It's been a hell of a time finding a home for 'em."

"Why?" Hiccup asked.

"Wizards don't like the Muggles. They don't want Muggles, even friendly Muggles, barging in. Don't want 'em living near. They want everywhere to be like Hogsmeade." Merida sighed and lay her head down on the table, "I am so sick of it. Only Godricks Hollow still lets 'em in. What am I supposed to do? Separate families? Then those kids will grow up blaming wizards for stealing their mom?"

Hiccup put his pen to his chin, "You know … I wonder if Berk might be willing to take Muggles."

"Isn't your entire town pureblood?" Rapunzel asked from under the invisibility cloak.

"Yeah. But that's because we're a pretty isolated group. We don't actively exclude Muggles. It's just none have been born to us is in a long time. "

"Worth a shot," Merida sighed. "Will you take a letter home with you?"

"Er … I don't really have a home, anymore," Hiccup admitted.

"You, too?" Jack said.

"Wait, what?" Merida said, looking at the boys. "Back up. Last time I saw you, Hiccup, you were out to rescue your dad. A letter said you did, but weren't allowed to come back to school. And Jack … last time I saw you, you were awaiting trial in your village. WHAT HAPPENED?"

Jack blushed, "I … er … I got kicked out."

"But ... but ... You didn't tell me!" Merida said. "You could have come to Hogwarts. Or any of the safe houses. I told your family where they were."

Jack squirmed in his seat. He didn't really know why he went to Rapunzel and not Merida, aside from the embarrassment of admitting Merida was right, which he just did.

"I ran away," Hiccup said, saving Jack from being questioned more.

"Oh, no," Rapunzel said. Jack watched as the fur on Hiccup's vest was pressed down by invisible arms, "Where are you staying?"

"Here, in Diagon Alley, though I leave frequently to patrol. That was the first rally I've been here for," Hiccup said as he appeared to pat thin air. "It's okay. I … I think I could go back, if I wanted. Dad will be mad. But I'm not ... I ... I am not afraid. I just have to settle this business with Scotland. Then Toothless and I will go back to the Archipelago and everything will be the way it was. I hope."

Hiccup and Merida slipped into talking politics. Jack made some frost across the table, doodling pictures in it. Rapunzel giggled and it wasn't long before finger drawings carved into the thin layer of ice. With each one, a small mist of frost seemed to come up off the table.

When they finished lunch, they split up again. Hiccup and Toothless promised to try and squelch the hate speech, while Merida found her Muggle family and led them down the streets of London. Once alone, Jack flew Rapunzel home, wishing he could go to his.

* * *

Flynn woke with a start from another nightmare. He sat up and rubbed his head. The girl and the horse were both still asleep. He gave a sigh of relief that he hadn't screamed in the dream of his past.

For the past few weeks, Cassandra, Maximus and, unknown to the first two, the Stabbington brothers, had been waiting for Flynn to figure out where Tooth Palace was. The problem was he didn't have the slightest clue. So far, all the hidden valleys they checked were empty. The Stabbington brothers were starting to get impatient. They'd threatened to kill Cassandra if he couldn't produce the teeth soon.

Flynn looked down on her, sleeping peacefully under the moonlight. She was pretty tough. She might be able to handle one of the brothers on her own, especially with that horse to help.

Flynn started to creep away from their campsite. When the brothers realized he was gone, maybe they'd split up. Max and Cassandra could fend off one while the other hunted Flynn down.

He hadn't gone far when suddenly he felt the earth move beneath him. He fell into a deep pit that hadn't been there the day before. Looking up, he expected to see the sky, but his eyes met darkness. A very familiar darkness. The darkness of Pitch Black.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Oh, you know. Got stuff to steal in other parts of the world. It's been a while since I hit Italy," Flynn said nonchalantly as he tried to find roots to climb out of the pit. Everything turned to black sand when he touched it.

"A little birdie told me you're planning on breaking into Tooth Palace."

"I wouldn't call the Stabbington brothers birds. Unless you meant vultures. Or condors," Flynn shivered.

"Memory … isn't it a funny thing?" Pitch said wistfully. "Do you remember what a lovely favor I did for you? Erasing everyone's memory of poor orphan Eugene. Leaving them with only the _dashing_ Flynn Rider."

"Yeah, thanks," Flynn said, as he found a foothold and hauled himself out. As soon as he reached solid ground, the ground turned to sand and he fell into a second pit.

As he looked up, black sand horses surrounded the edge of the pit, snarling.

Pitch disappeared from the top of the pit, only to reappear behind him. Flynn jumped and darted away from him, though he couldn't go far in the hole.

Pitch grabbed Flynn's shoulders

"Listen carefully," Pitch said. Flynn found himself frozen with fright as Pitch addressed him. "Tooth Palace is centered in the middle of this mountain range. It is well hidden from mortal eyes. You won't be able to reach it without Golden Age aid."

Pitch touched Flynn's chest and a black medallion formed, a chain going around his neck.

"That should help you get in," Pitch said, "but like all things, it comes with a price."

"And why should I believe you?" Flynn said. "Why should I take this aid? What if I don't care about wandering the mountains for days without finding anything?"

Pitch smirked and slowly walked around Flynn.

"And what of the girl? The little … what was her name? _Cassandra_? Pits and Nightmares are not all I can do. I will make sure you never, ever leave this mountain. And for your final hours … it would be so easy to undo the memory charm. So easy to tell her in a dream of the real Eugene Fitzherbert. She's a witch, you know. I wonder how she feels about mudbloods?"

"She doesn't care!" Flynn snapped.

"Oh, you've told her?" Pitch prompted.

Flynn hung his head. Of course not. He never told anyone. He wasn't going to go through life as Eugene Fitzherbert again. And Pitch knew it.

"What do you want of me?" Flynn asked, defeated.

"I thought you'd never ask. I can help you get into Tooth Palace, but I cannot cross the border myself. At least not without attracting Tooth's attention. You can go in and take anything you want. Complete your plan to steal Princess Rapunzel's teeth."

"You knew?"

"I know everything," Pitch said. "I don't care about it. Take them. Rescue the princess. Live happily ever after. It makes no difference to me. But I want you to leave something of mine there. Just a little prank I'm playing on the Guardians."

Pitch grabbed the dark medallion now hanging around Flynn's neck. "Once you use this to get into the hidden valley, place it on the center spire. You'll know it when you see it."

Pitch disappeared into the night, leaving Flynn to wonder who the Guardians were and if he should do as Pitch asked or not.


	8. The Hogwarts Dilemma

Gothel drummed her fingers on the railing as she watched Rapunzel lean out the window. Down on the ground Jack was freezing parts of the stream, making various messages for her daughter.

Gothel's nose twitched. She must put a stop to this. Stepping over to the window, Gothel reached over her daughter and closed the shutters.

"We have important business to discuss, my flower," Gothel said. "You can play with the boy later."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel said, bowing her head.

"I'm going to be leaving soon to get to Hogwarts ahead of you, to make sure it's still safe, my pet."

"How am I to get to school?" Rapunzel asked, looking at the fireplace.

"Hm. Don't know, don't care," Gothel said. Rapunzel's brow creased, and Gothel quickly added, "Oh, I'm just teasing, stop being so sensitive."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel repeated.

"Now, I have some very important instructions before I go," Gothel said. "You must promise me that you will not allow Jack into the tower while I am gone. You I trust. Him I don't. I also expect this place to be clean, and don't forget to blow out all the candles and put out all the fires before you leave. Of course, if this is too much responsibility for you, you don't have to go to school."

"I can do it!" Rapunzel said. "I won't let you down."

"Well, I have nothing to worry about then. Now, let down your hair. I'm going to speak with Jack before I go."

Gothel gathered up her bags while Rapunzel opened the shutters to let down her hair. Gothel grabbed the end and had Rapunzel lower her to the ground.

As soon as Gothel let go of the hair, her feet slid out from under her. She fell on the ice. Jack burst out laughing.

"It's not funny, I could have broken my hip," Gothel said, picking herself up.

Jack didn't bother responding, he just kept laughing. Gothel marched over to him and grabbed his ear.

"Listen, you little rat, I am letting you live here for free. I'm bringing you food, and letting you play with Rapunzel. You should be grateful to me that I didn't cast you out."

She shoved Jack down. He rubbed his ear, but didn't try to fight back.

"I'm leaving for the school. You will take Rapunzel to the train and protect her. If you fail, I will hunt you down and make you pay."

"Rapunzel is safe with me," Jack promised.

"That is what I'm counting on," Gothel said. She turned and left the glen.

Almost as soon as she crossed to the other side, the shadows started to move.

"Pitch?" Gothel said.

"Yes?" he asked, materializing out of the shadows. Even though Gothel knew he was there, the sudden appearance still made her jump. After taking a few breaths to calm her nerves, she turned on the shadowman.

"You were supposed to kill the boy. Not drop him on my doorstep!"

"Relax, my dear Gothel," he said, circling to be behind her. "I will kill him but not yet. I don't want to just get him out of the way. I want to milk all that delicious fear from him first. He will not just die. He will suffer. And then, after seeing the terror, your flower will be too scared to ever leave her tower. It has all been arranged. You just keep Rapunzel close. I will do the rest. She will be all yours before her next birthday."

Pitch disappeared. Gothel wished she could be sure of his promises the way she was with Rapunzel's. Pitch only wanted Rapunzel out of the way. He didn't care if she lived or died. Making sure Rapunzel stayed alive was on Gothel. She would do anything to keep her flower from slipping away. Again.

* * *

Hiccup enjoyed spending time in Diagon Alley, aside from the anti-Muggle protests. He didn't know how to stop them. He didn't have the strength or popularity to challenge a mob by himself. Toothless _did_ have the power to stop them, but Hiccup didn't want to turn them from fear of Muggles to fear of dragons. That seemed counterproductive.

He was quite glad as summer finally came to an end and he made his way to the train station, though the walk through London with Muggles screaming at the sight of his dragon was not fun.

Hiccup was well aware of how to get to the train station on foot. He'd done it every year before he met Toothless coming from the harbor where the Viking longship docked. Despite having memories of visiting the train station, Hiccup couldn't seem to find it this year. Instead, he found a brick wall.

"I know it should be here somewhere," Hiccup said, reaching out to touch the wall. His hand phased right through.

Stepping in, Hiccup found the platform, now completely hidden from Muggle eyes. Toothless followed.

Standing by the engine, Merida waved to him.

"What's going on here?" Hiccup asked, coming over to her.

"The Guardians have been working hard to hide all magical locations: Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, the Train Station. Muggles can't see them anymore."

"I couldn't see it," Hiccup pointed out. "How will you let the other wizards know where it is?"

"It's supposed to be visible to wizards. Ugh. Let me check on that," Merida said. She went out through the brick wall and came back a moment later. "Thanks for telling me. I've added a sign only visible to wizards. Platform 9 and ¾. I hope that does it."

A loud ruckus started up a few feet down.

"I gotta handle this," Merida said, excusing herself. "I'll explain what's going on to the prefects in a few minutes."

Hiccup scouted out the train and found an empty cabin. He ushered Toothless inside.

"Wait here, bud," Hiccup instructed before taking up his post with the other prefects. Rapunzel dropped down from a skylight, her long hair unbraided and frosty.

"Check the second car for Toothless," Hiccup called up the open shaft, sure that Jack was there. It took a few minutes before the other prefects came in. Then two students stood up, Merida, and Derek.

"I'm the new Head Girl," Merida said.

"And I'm the new Head Boy," Derek said. They launched into an explanation of duties, more for the fifth years' benefit than anyone else's. Most of it was routine: What they could and couldn't do; How to punish younger students for infractions; What behavior to watch for. Hiccup could probably quote it line for line. Except for the last bit.

"And be warned," Merida said, "Hogwarts is being used as a shelter for certain individuals. While we shouldn't be bothered too much by their presence, remember that we are to stop any and all fights. Regardless of whom you personally agree with."

Merida cast a glance at Derek before dismissing everyone. She, Hiccup and Rapunzel walked back to the cabin with Jack and Toothless in it.

Jack was hanging from the luggage rack by his knees.

"What was that last bit about?" Hiccup asked as they settled in.

"Hogwarts is a refugee camp," Merida explained, "and some of the purebloods, like Derek, object to Muggleborn refugees. Especially if the Muggleborn is still on friendly terms with their parents or Muggle siblings.

"That's not fair," Jack said, dropping down to sit right side up. "Not all Muggles are bad."

"Tell me about it. But the stupid Slytherins won't listen," she said. Hiccup turned to Jack, expecting a clever retort or fight, but before Jack could say anything, a Terrible Terror flew in the window, landing on Merida's lap.

She unwound a piece of parchment from his leg.

"How did he know where we were?" Rapunzel asked.

Merida shrugged, "Same way the Owls do, I guess. Magic."

She read the paper and her face paled.

"What is it?" Hiccup asked. As far as he knew, only Berk used dragon messengers. This message was from home.

"Your dad. I wrote to him about taking in the refugees."

"He said no?"

"He said yes," Merida said, "but only in exchange for information on your whereabouts and/or return."

"So, if I go back … he'll accept the refugees?" Hiccup asked not sure how he felt about his father's demands. He'd run away from home in pursuit of peace. So far, he hadn't made much progress. In fact, he hadn't been able to make himself go to Scotland. He didn't know why he was having so much trouble with his fears. It wasn't like him. And now his father gave him an easy way out. A way to achieve peace without crossing the border.

"Pretty much," Merida said, ignorant of Hiccup's fears.

"Do you need to move anyone right away?" Hiccup asked, half reluctant and half hopeful.

Merida shook her head, "Godric's Hollow is still accepting Muggles. But I'm not sure how many more they'll take before they reach the limit. No wizarding community wants more than half their population to be Muggle. Most aren't happy with far less than that."

Hiccup looked out the window, "I came here to help stop the Viking-Scot war. I'm not sure what I can do. I will work as hard as I can to achieve peace. But if I can't do it before you need Berk, I will go back. No matter what."

"Thank you," Merida said. "Nothing is more important than protecting my people."

Hiccup watched as the countryside rolled by. After a time, he came to realize that they'd crossed the Scottish border. Nothing happened to him. He didn't burst into flames. He didn't have a heart attack. He didn't suddenly jump on Toothless and fly off abandoning his friends and duty. He'd made it.

Now to find a way to make sure the scary feeling never came back ... and figure out why it occurred in the first place.

* * *

Jack spent most of the train ride drawing frost on the window. He'd noticed that the pictures sometimes seemed to come to life, just like the portraits and tapestries at school. Well, not 'just' like. Here it was just hints of movement. He wondered if he could ever bring them to life as fully as the portraits.

"Is it a lion?" Merida guessed, looking at Jack's drawing. He hadn't really meant it to be, but now that she said it, he could see it. He turned it into a lion, then drew a badger and snake.

"Hey, Punzie," Jack said. "What's your house's symbol?"

"It's an Eagle."

Jack added that to his drawing. Again, he saw the faint glimmer of life. If he could make the drawings come to life, what would they do? Would the snake and lion fight? He wished he could share them with Emma.

Jack kept trying to make them come to life. If he ever saw her again, he wanted them to be perfect. He hardly noticed the time passing, now that he was in a familiar space once more. Maybe Hogwarts was home now.

As he disembarked, that thought was immediately dashed. Outside the Hogsmeade train station many adults were standing with signs that read "Go home mudbloods!"

Merida broke off from the group to speak to them.

"Should we help?" Rapunzel asked. Hiccup shrugged. After sending Toothless to the woods, the two of them followed Merida, leaving Jack alone. Slowly, he walked up to wait by the carriages. He didn't need to get in a fight before the school year started. Again.

As he waited, he noticed that a good many more students looked in shock at the thestrals. More students had seen death this year.

After a few minutes, the crowd broke up and Merida, Rapunzel and Hiccup returned. The four of them climbed into a waiting carriage.

Merida slumped down in her seat.

"Who were they?" Jack asked, hoping the mudblood-haters wouldn't be a feature of the whole school year.

"Refugees," Merida said. "The Guardians an' me have been keeping the more probl'matic ones in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts for fear they'd turn on Muggles if we placed 'em anywhere else. But without Muggles to take revenge on, some of 'em have turned on the Muggleborns."

Jack pulled his legs up on the seat. Just what he needed. More stupid people who hated him. This would be a long year.

* * *

Once they disembarked from the carriage, Hiccup made his way to the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall. Last year, several Hufflepuffs had dropped out or disappeared after magic became outlawed in England. He expected, now that it was also illegal in Scotland, to find even more empty seats. To his shock, though, the table was quite congested with people.

Hiccup looked at the newcomers. Most of them were quite young. Too young to be first years. These must be the refugees Merida mentioned. He scanned the other tables. They were slightly more crowded, too, but Hufflepuff seemed to be taking the brunt of it. Probably because Helga Hufflepuff made her house open to 'all the rest'.

Hiccup spotted his roommates, but they made no move to make room for him. He supposed he wasn't really surprised. Hiccup spent very little time with them.

From his seat alone, Hiccup watched the sorting of the first years. As they approached the hat, the refugees, mostly the ones at the Slytherin table, hissed, only to receive a stern glare from Headmaster Ombric, whose beard looked grayer and more ragged than Hiccup had ever seen before.

Eventually everyone was sorted and the tables were even more crowded. The Headmaster drew everyone's attention up to the professors' table.

"I would like to remind everyone that Hogwarts is home to many people from all different backgrounds. Everyone is welcome here and everyone should feel safe here. Take this year to look at yourselves, and you will see you are not so different. Remember, the enemies about us can take our magic. Any one of you might one day find yourself living like a Muggle, so be sure not to burn that bridge, for you may someday need a Muggle's assistance."

Hiccup shivered at the reminder as a wave of fear washed over him. He was back in the dungeon, with Pitch Black infecting him ... He shook his head. He couldn't lose it again. He was here. He was safe. Toothless was right outside chasing butterflies in the woods, he was surrounded by teachers and wizards, and his friends. No need to be afraid.

He sighed and poked around his plate as Ombric made clear the restrictions on where the refugees could go. They were not to interrupt classes, or in any way be a distraction to the students.

Hiccup glanced at the crowd. No matter what he felt, he couldn't leave Scotland in this mess. He had to do something to help. Merida was right. Berk could take refugees. But only if he could keep the war with Scotland from spreading to it. Merida had some luck reaching out to his dad. Maybe he could reach out to hers. At least it was something.

* * *

Rapunzel tried to ignore all the eyes on her. _The Guardians will protect you. Your friends will protect you. Mother will protect you._ She repeated to herself.

Not that Rapunzel was a stranger to being the center of attention, but it had been a while since she'd met someone new without her hair being done up. She was used to the familiar, curious, stares of the other students. Not the wide-eyed wonder that the young refugees bestowed on her.

As she took part in the welcoming feast, her fingers kept running through her hair. How many of them knew? How many of them wanted it?

If they did know or wanted it, no one said anything. Eventually she got up and escorted the first years up to the Ravenclaw tower. Every time she saw a shadow or felt a chill, she repressed the urge to scream. Not all shadows were caused by Pitch Black, after all, and the chills could be caused by one of the Hogwarts ghosts or even Jack Frost. There was no reason to suspect that it was some enemy waiting to take her, like Mother warned.

Mother was near, and so were the Guardians. And all these students. She wasn't in danger. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

When they reached the Eagle knocker, it spoke its riddle.

"What cannot survive without hope?" the knocker asked.

Everyone started chattering, trying to solve the riddle. It was a first year boy who finally spoke the answer.

"Fear," the boy said. The door opened. Rapunzel wouldn't have thought of it. Fear and hope felt different. But as she stepped into the airy tower, she supposed he was right. She feared someone might cut her hair. She hoped they wouldn't. Either it would happen or it wouldn't. And if it happened, she wouldn't be afraid. She'd be in despair. And if it didn't happen, she wouldn't be hopeful, she would be ecstatic. Maybe fear really was the flip side of hope. Now, if only she could stop being afraid.

As soon as the first years were settled, Rapunzel turned her attention to finding the head of Ravenclaw, Professor Toothiana, the Tooth Fairy. When she was first year, Toothiana came to greet her and the other new students. But this year, the professor was nowhere to be found. Rapunzel sighed and went to put her things in her room.

The other girls persisted in staring at her. The sooner she could get the Tooth Fairy to erase everyone's memories, the better.

* * *

Merida pulled her little brothers close in the bed they shared. Technically boys weren't supposed to be in the girls' room but Merida didn't know what else to do with them. At the end of last year she'd housed them in the Infirmary. But with so many refugees she didn't want her brothers being that far away. Especially with all the anti-Muggle hate.

Add to that, that most of the refugees were strangers … Merida knew the value of her brothers. Not only were they wizards, but princes as well. They might be taken as hostages, the way Merida used them to break away from her parents last year. At least she cared about their happiness and safety. Any other wizards looking to use them for political clout with the king might not. And that wasn't even counting people who might hurt them in an attempt to get revenge on the king for banning magic.

The boys were only safe if they stayed with Merida.

Hubert pushed away from Harris and started to roll off. Merida reached out and grabbed them so they wouldn't tumble. Hamish curled his hand around Merida's as he drifted off. She kissed the boys on their foreheads and closed her eyes.

Why couldn't mum and dad have thought this through? The boys belonged at home, in Castle DunBroch. With their parents. They shouldn't be at school yet. They shouldn't have to live in the girls' dormitory with their sister. They should be raiding the kitchens for the meat pies and driving their governess batty. Not living in hiding.

As sleep came upon Merida, she dreamed that all of them would be home again someday. If only she could make her parents back off from the wizarding world. She would gladly accept whatever punishment they deemed worthy … whether as their child, or as a traitor to the crown. She just wanted things to go back to normal.

* * *

Jack thought he was used to the cold reception the Slytherins gave him. But this year's icy greeting made the last few years feel like the hottest days in summer.

Jack hadn't noticed it during the feast. He was too busy looking at all the new kids, wishing that his sister could have been among them. Then he would know she was safe. But once he retired to the Slytherin common room, he realized something was off. There were a lot of adults. They hadn't been in the Great Hall. Were they refugees, too?

The grown ups stopped their conversations when Jack walked in. Some of the students spoke to the adults in hushed tones, so Jack couldn't hear what they were saying. He was used to being either ignored or stared at, but he still didn't like it. Jack pushed past them to his dorm room, expecting it to be a safe, empty, place. It wasn't.

Jack's very bed was occupied. The adult on the bed looked up, his pale hair falling on his sharp eyes. Jack knew he'd never met this man before, yet something about him seemed familiar.

"Um … " Jack started to say. How do you tell a refugee he's on your bed? The door opened and Jack turned to see Derek panting. Derek Gaunt looked from Jack to the refugee and Jack realized why he seemed familiar. They had the same blond hair and sharp features.

"This is my dad," Derek said. "Dad, this is … er … Jack Frost."

Jack turned back to the adult. Mr. Gaunt, Jack supposed.

"That's my bed," Jack said finally. Mr. Gaunt made no move to get up.

He closed his eyes and replied, "And why should _your kind_ be allowed in beds."

"My kind?" Jack questioned, though he felt he already knew the answer.

"Muggle. Elf. They shouldn't have let you in."

"Um, Dad," Derek said, a slight quiver in his voice. "Jack did … he's helped out. A few times."

Jack's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Derek, of all people, to come to his defense.

"Of course the elf helped. It is their nature," his father said. "And I suppose if the boy is to stay here, he should be where he belongs, out with the other elves."

Mr. Gaunt made no attempt to get up. Derek and the other Hogwarts boys who'd gathered in the dorm room gave Jack halfhearted shrugs. Mr. Gaunt maintained a smug smile.

Jack took deep breaths. Ombric had warned them that the refugees might be uncooperative. Jack left the dorm room and wove through the crowd to Mother Nature's office.

She had her back to Jack when he entered, but the vines that coated the room cleared a path for him. As Jack approached her, he brushed them with his staff, lightly frosting the leaves.

"Mr. Gaunt won't let me in my bed," Jack said.

"I suspected he might be trouble," she said passively.

"Are you going to do something about it?" Jack asked. The vines around him grew thorns as she turned to him.

"No," Mother Nature said softly. The floor felt as if it moved out from under him. Why would she abandon him?

A few vines shot up and entwined themselves around his limbs, keeping him from falling. They froze when they touched his skin.

"But … But," Jack struggled to find the right words, "But Ombric said -"

"I know what he said," Mother Nature said disdainfully. "Ombric spends even less time with people than I do. Children listen to me because I am older and I am a professor. Neither is true with adults, at least as far as they know. I can order him to leave you alone. But I have no power to send him to detention, or to expel him."

"You're Mother Nature! Doesn't that mean anything?"

"It is not in my nature to use my powers to interfere with human lives."

"But you could make him leave? As the Head of House?" Jack said. "Make him go to a different shelter?"

"Look around, Jack. There is nowhere else for him to go," she said. The vines quickly melted and released Jack. Mother Nature turned back to her plants as she explained, "Slytherin House is well known for its preference for purebloods. Most of the Muggle-hating refugees ended up here. I want to keep it that way."

"You want those … those … those… people here?" Jack said, struggling to find an insult for the stupid purebloods. Why wasn't there a word like mudblood in reverse?

"I want them away from the other Muggleborns," Mother Nature explained. "Away from the Muggleborns and the Half-blood refugees who are housed in the spare classrooms and Hospital Wing, especially the Muggleborn children under age 11. Many of them have lost their families. They trust no one and would not go to a teacher if the Purebloods started to pick on them. You can defend yourself against these people. They cannot."

Jack hadn't thought of it in that way. Of course he could stand up to adults. Probably better than any other student in the school. Except maybe Merida.

"Are there a lot of children?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Mother Nature said. "Princess Merida and the Guardians bring most refugees here first, then they try to find them permanent homes in the other safe towns. Except for the orphaned or Muggle-born children. Hogwarts is a good place where children can learn how to hide their magic or undo accidental magic, especially if they have no older relatives to look after them."

"But-"

"But why are there a ton of adults in Slytherin?" Mother Nature guessed, a wry smile on her lips. "That's the other kind of refugee you will encounter. The families of students are also being housed here. As Slytherin families are more likely to be pureblood, there are more magical relatives to take in. More people for me to deal with."

Mother Nature sighed and all the vines around the room wilted. Jack didn't know nature could look so tired.

Jack swallowed. Mother Nature might be a jerk sometimes, but it was clear that all the refugee stuff was out of her comfort zone. Jack didn't want to make her more miserable.

"What can I do?" Jack asked. "Should I just let Mr. Gaunt have the bed?"

All the vines in the room receded. Jack took a step to the door. Mother Nature disappeared without giving Jack an answer. The message was clear. He was on his own.


	9. Extracurricular Activities

Jack ended up spending his first night at Hogwarts in the woods with Toothless. He hid in a tree when Hiccup came to check on his dragon. If Mother Nature couldn't help him, there was no chance that a teenager from a different house could. Even if Hiccup's big brain could think of a way out that didn't just pass the problem off to less capable Muggleborns, Jack didn't want to burden him with those problems. His friend had run away and was in the middle of a war. He shouldn't have to deal with petty squabbles and speciesist wizards.

Jack sighed after Hiccup finally left. He floated down from the tree and leaned up against Toothless. The dragon gave him a few playful licks and then went to sleep. Jack tried to follow suit.

Despite often sleeping outside at home, he spent a restless night tossing and turning. At least he could control his temperature.

The next morning he cleaned himself up by the stream before heading into the school for breakfast. The adults weren't at the table, though the refugee children were. Jack's roommates looked down when he joined them.

"Look ... I'm sorry about my dad," Derek said. The apology surprised him. Jack hadn't thought the Slytherins liked him enough to bother with one.

"Are all your parents here?" Jack demanded quietly. No one met his eyes, but Derek gave a slight nod.

"Most of them," he said quietly.

"We tried to tell them how you won the Triwizard Tournament for Hogwarts," Sarah said.

"And how you saved the school from those filthy Vikings," Hugo added.

"But they won't listen. Sorry," Derek concluded.

Jack grabbed an apple and thought as he ate. At least he wasn't going against _all_ the Slytherins this time. He couldn't count on them to help him, but maybe having the students be neutral could work in his favor. He decided to give reclaiming his bed a shot. But first he needed more information.

"So ... how many are there in total? And who's related to who?" Jack asked. During the rest of breakfast, Jack learned that there were a grand total of 23 parents now in Slytherin, along with 16 older siblings, and 12 children too young for school. A total of 51 extra people. Most of the adult refugees conjured beds when they needed them. Derek's father was the only one bold enough to take a student's bed. And Jack would guess he did it knowing full well that Jack was a Muggleborn Ice Elf.

After they finished breakfast, Jack's roommates went off to their various classes. Jack, having dropped as many as possible, wandered back down to the Slytherin Dungeon. He'd gone from being hated by the Slytherins to being tolerated - and maybe even liked, among them. Could he harness the same power with their parents? He had to try.

* * *

Hiccup tapped his charcoal pen to his lip as he wrote down the answer. Class started with a heavy focus on review, and mostly on jinks, curses and defensive spells. Remembering the spells was easy. Casting them, on the other hand? Yikes.

Living on Berk, or in Diagon Alley, surrounded by other wizards meant he rarely had to cast spells. He knew he still could, but he hadn't really been practicing since he was almost turned into a Fearling.

A shiver went through him at the thought. He'd lost half his leg. Why did 'almost' losing his magic have more of an effect than losing a body part? What was wrong with him? Was he just a coward?

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized losing his leg wasn't scary. Most Berkians had lost limbs. They had support groups, special holidays like Stump Day, and no prejudice towards those less complete.

Compare that with the way the English wizards hated Muggles and squibs. At least Hiccup wasn't the only one who'd survived being turned into a Fearling. Or even the first. That honor belonged to Camicazi. Unfortunately, as she no longer attended Hogwarts and their tribes were officially enemies, asking her about her experience would be difficult.

He knew her magic ability had slightly decreased due to the experience. He strongly hoped his hadn't. He wasn't good enough at magic that he could afford to lose any ability.

Hiccup took a deep breath as Professor Joyce instructed them to practice mild curses non-verbally. Hiccup prodded Jack with his elbow. Jack's head shot up from the desk.

"I'm paying attention," he yawned. "Is it time to add the newt's eyes?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes, "We're in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh. I knew that," Jack said sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm just not used to having two classes on the same day."

Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle. He was taking almost every class offered. He was very glad of it. All the classes and homework helped keep him focused, keep the fear from taking over, particularity whenever Merida gave him alarming updates on the state of Scotland, or he heard the Guardians whispering about Pitch Black sightings. When Hiccup did find himself with down time, he used it to either take care of Toothless, come up with training exercises to send to Astrid and the Dragon Riders, or work on crafting letters to the King of Scotland, though fear had so far kept him from sending them.

Jack, on the other hand, had dropped every class possible, had virtually no external responsibilities and spent his days lounging around the school, playing pranks on the younger kids whenever possible. How he could be the tired one, Hiccup had no clue.

They picked up their wands and got into the proper stance.

Jack waited, letting Hiccup cast the first jinx. To his credit, the spell actually affected Jack, if weakly. Before Hiccup could enjoy his victory, Jack had cast the counter curse and hit Hiccup with the jinx.

His legs instantly snapped together and he toppled over.

"You were supposed to block that," Jack said, reaching down to help him stand up.

"No, I know," Hiccup said. "I'm just distracted. I've got a lot going on, you know."

Jack nodded and bit his lip. Hiccup quickly smiled. He didn't want his problems spilling over into Jack. Jack might as well enjoy the year. It was their last year they would ever be together unless Jack moved to the Archipelago.

"Hey, doesn't this remind you of something?" Hiccup said playfully. "You and me practicing jinks and counter-curses? Only this time I can actually cast the spells and you don't have to use them to defend yourself against your roommates."

Jack's face darkened. Hiccup could see he'd touched a nerve, but he wasn't sure why. They'd joked about the other Slytherins before.

Just as Hiccup managed to undo the curse, he slipped back down again, this time from ice growing under his feet.

"Sorry," Jack said tersely before walking away.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Hiccup asked, chasing after him.

Jack stormed over to a window. Literally. A small blizzard followed him.

The window iced over as he reached it. None of the students minded the icy blast on the hot day, but they all stopped to watch the fight.

Hiccup touched Jack's shoulder. His hand iced over, but Hiccup didn't care. He was a Viking from Berk. They lived a few degrees south of freezing to death. He could handle ice and frost.

"Did I say something wrong?" Hiccup asked gently.

"Not you," Jack said. He shook Hiccup off. Without waiting for a response, Jack pushed the window open and jumped out, flying down to the forest.

Hiccup turned back to the class. Professor Joyce sent sparks from his wand, reclaiming everyone's attention, "This class is still going. Get back to work."

Hiccup wanted to follow Jack, but he knew he needed to stay for the practice. He had the rest of the afternoon free. He would find Jack after class. Looks like he had yet another extracurricular activity.

* * *

Merida dropped her books in Todd's lap when the tiny tooth fairy came.

She raised her hand and the substitute filling in for the Easter Bunny looked up. Since the Guardians were so busy dealing with Pitch Black, they'd enlisted some the adult refugees to take their classes. Merida had brought many of them here herself, so they were all well aware of her rescue missions.

"Princess duties are calling," Merida announced. The substitute nodded, giving her permission to leave. Merida followed the fairy to the waiting tunnel. Since the school year started, the Easter Bunny had brought a few of his giant egg statues to Hogsmeade. They coordinated with the fairies to make tunnels to wherever wizards and witches were in trouble. Without Angus, it was the only way for Merida to continue her missions and schooling.

Jumping down the tunnel, Merida found herself in a small clearing in a forest.

She looked down the rows of trees and spotted several humans lying on the ground, dried blood staining their limp, painfully emaciated bodies.

Merida gasped and took a step back.

SNAP!

Something sharp and hard bit into her ankle. Merida screamed, and the few people who had the strength looked up at her sadly.

Merida tried to keep her eyes from watering in pain as she bent down. She'd stepped on some kind of metal trap. The jagged edge of the hoop pierced her left ankle, breaking the skin. She reached down to pry it open with her fingers, but the metal wouldn't budge. When she pulled her now bleeding hands away, she saw traces of black sand on them. This wasn't just a wizard trap.

Merida pulled out her wand and cast a spell that should have made any machine fall apart. It had no effect. Her heart thundered in her chest.

Was this some kind of metal that couldn't be affected by magic?

Merida waved her wand on herself, trying to repair the cuts to her hands. Nothing happened. She twisted a grain of black sand in her fingers. Something told her the sand was behind it.

This trap wasn't laid by Muggles. It was laid by Pitch Black. Of course he would have a way to prevent wizards from getting out.

Merida swallowed her pain and examined the trap. It looked like a dragon trap Hiccup had once shown her.

A low moan from the others made Merida's heart ache. She had to help these people. Calling to the wind, a tiny tooth fairy appeared.

Merida sent the little creature back to Hogwarts for help. Now all she could do was wait and hope that someone came to her rescue before she lost any of the people she'd come to help.

* * *

Rapunzel closed her eyes and sipped her tea in the Divination classroom. The other students might find the stuffy room oppressive, but Rapunzel found it relaxing. And relaxing was something she needed.

In the past few years, she had split her time between living with Mother in the Infirmary, and living with the other Ravenclaws in the Ravenclaw dorm room. The Infirmary was usually quieter. But not this year. Not with so many homeless kids living there.

They didn't bother her about her hair. They didn't know. But it was only a matter of time. Even braided, her hair stood nearly double the length of her dresses now. Sooner or later one of the children would ask about it. And when they did, she would have a decision to make.

As the professor droned on about fate and destiny, Rapunzel practiced the speeches she would make. _Yes, my hair can heal any injury. No, I am not a doctor and cannot heal you._ She chided herself for being selfish. Why shouldn't she heal them?

 _Because Mother says it's dangerous_ , her brain repeated automatically. _They'll get one taste of your power and never have enough._

But if they need me, I can't just abandon them, Rapunzel argued with herself.

 _But they don't need you. You are a freak accident. Never meant to exist. Never wanted. Never loved, except by Mother Gothel._

That's not true. I'm sure my real parents love me.

 _Then why haven't they sent for you? Why didn't you get any letters this summer?_

Rapunzel sniffed and threw her tea cup down. Everyone in the class stopped to stare at her.

"Did you see something in the tea?" Professor Malika asked.

"I ..." Rapunzel froze. Should she admit she hadn't been paying attention to class? Or lie and say she did see some bad ominous thing. _You should lie._ No you shouldn't. Great. The internal war was starting up again.

As Rapunzel stammered for an answer, a tiny fairy flew in through the window. Rapunzel jumped back. Wasn't the window closed?

The little hummingbird-looking creature zoomed in and hovered around her face, then made several pleading chirps to the professor.

"What's she saying?" Rapunzel asked. Malika rolled her eyes.

"Princess Merida has asked you to come assist her in the forest. The fairy will show you the way."

Malika waved Rapunzel away. She gathered her books and dropped them off in her room before following the fairy out to the forest.

She expected to find Merida, but the fairy led her instead to an old shoe.

"What's this?" Rapunzel asked.

The fairy grabbed her finger and pulled her towards the shoe, indicating she should touch it.

Rapunzel did, and suddenly her world felt like it was turned upside down. When her head stopped spinning and the giddiness faded, she looked up to see Merida leaning on a tree.

"Don't move!" Merida shouted. Rapunzel froze. Merida pointed down. Her foot was caught in a metal trap, her ankle bloody where the teeth met. Several other traps lay nearby, some with other people stuck in them.

"I'm sorry to call you out of class. Out of the safety of Hogwarts, but we really need you," Merida explained. Rapunzel knelt down, careful not to step on a trap.

"What happened?" Rapunzel asked as she cast a loosening spell. The iron bars fell apart, freeing Merida's leg, She grabbed onto Rapunzel's shoulder and grimaced. Clearly those teeth hurt.

"It's a wizard trap," Merida explained. "I've been able to piece together a bit of what happened. The Muggles spread rumors that they were torturing wizards in the cave near here. Every time a wizard thought to help his fellows out, he walked over this ground, and SNAP. Foot caught in a trap. Left to starve or die of blood loss."

Merida explained what happened and how she suspected Pitch Black was behind it as Rapunzel helped her out of the danger area.

"That's when I sent the fairy to you. She set up a portkey in the one clear spot," Merida concluded. Then she sighed, "Rapunzel … I know it's a lot to ask … but your song … when you sang it to Hiccup, it cured him from the black sand. I need you to do it again."

"But I- but I promised Mother."

"If you don't help, they will die," Merida insisted, limping over to set free one of the other wizards caught in the trap. He's been bitten by two traps. One that caught his leg, trapping him in the forest, and another that caught his arm when he fell over from exhaustion. "Even if I could get them proper medical attention, Pitch Black infected these traps with his sand. They could turn into Fearlings if we don't get it out."

Rapunzel cast the loosening spell and Merida dragged the poor victims out of the clearing. Merida explained that she'd spoken to some of them while waiting for Rapunzel. They'd all been trapped for many days.

Once all the victims were freed, Rapunzel nodded. "I'll do it. I'll help."

Rapunzel carefully wrapped her long hair around all the victims and prepared to sing. Merida held up her hand to stop her song. From her pocket, she pulled out a small bag of golden sand. Merida sprinkled it on the others, putting them to sleep, before Rapunzel sang.

"Flower, gleam and glow," Rapunzel began, glad Merida had put them all to sleep. Each face relaxed as the golden threads passed over them.

"They won't remember you," Merida said when Rapunzel finished. "You're nothing but a dream. Now, take the portkey and get back to Hogwarts before they realize this dream is real."

"What about you?" Rapunzel asked.

Merida looked back at the traps, "I've got some cleaning up to do."

* * *

Jack sat in a tree watching Hiccup underneath him.

"Jack! I didn't mean to upset you. Won't you come out?" Hiccup called. Jack didn't move. He knew Hiccup was right. Hiccup hadn't meant to set him off. There was no way that Hiccup could know he was reliving his first year. No way Hiccup could know what an abysmal failure reclaiming his bed from Mr. Gaunt had been. How Mr. Gaunt had rallied the other parents to drive Jack away.

"JACK! I know you're here. It's the only part of the forest that's got snow in September. Jack, don't shut me out. You've tried this before. Isolating yourself will make things worse, not better. Please come out."

Hiccup waited. With a sigh, Jack landed next to him. Hiccup smiled. He put his hand on Jack's shoulder, even though Jack was sure it was too cold to touch. Hiccup didn't seem to care.

"Wanna tell me what's going on?" Hiccup asked. He and Jack moved to a couple of boulders and sat down.

Jack bit his lip, "I don't know. I thought … all summer, I've been stuck in a Muggle town, with most of the Muggles making me feel like I didn't belong. Now I get here … and it's full of wizards who also make me feel like I don't belong. Only worse. Because at least in my village I had a family. Here I have no one."

"That's not true," Hiccup said. "You've got us. Merida, Rapunzel and me."

"But you guys are so busy. And I understand. I don't want to distract you from your work. I know it's important that you stop the war. I just … don't know what I can do."

"Jack, you've been helping me - us - since we met you. Sometimes a distraction is what we need. Thor knows the world could use a little more fun in these times of fear. Why don't we have a race? Or a snowball fight? Oh, I've got it. Do you wanna build a snowman?" Hiccup suggested. Jack gave his lopsided grin and the snow in the forest got thicker. Hiccup and Jack spent several hours making snow people, which in turn helped Jack forget about the real people. Eventually, Hiccup had to leave for another class, leaving Jack alone in his snow kingdom.

Of course it would melt as soon as he left. He knew that much. But Hiccup was right. Playing in the snow helped him forget his troubles. There were a lot of kids here with troubles. Maybe he could help them.

* * *

After making sure that all the students were asleep and the Guardians occupied, Emily Jane slipped out of the castle and apparated to a deserted island in the Barbaric Archipelago.

"Why have you called me here?" she demanded from the shadows.

"Can a father not long to see his daughter?" Pitch Black asked, stepping out of the fog.

"I don't want to see you," she spat.

"Then why bother to come?" he asked. Her eyes narrowed and the fog turned icy.

"I know enough of your handiwork to know that you are behind the influx of adults taking refuge in Hogwarts," she said. "What did you do to them to scare them into coming to bother me?"

Pitch smirked, "I've only sent them a few dreams ... reminding them that their children are in constant contact with an Ice Elf."

Ice built up around Pitch. He stepped in a shadow and moved away from her ice.

"No need for such violence, Emily Jane," he reprimanded her. "You can't hurt your own father."

A storm swirled up around her. Pitch dodged, occasionally calling up sand to block her attacks.

"Now, please, my dear, I don't want to do this," he said, stepping back before the trees could grab him.

After throwing several attacks at him, she calmed down and the storm quelled a little.

"Did it not occur to you that I have similar powers to the boy's? Even if I cared naught for him, their anger could easily turn to me. I already caused an ice age in this world. I do not wish to cause more destruction. But if they attack me I may have to."

"Then help me," Pitch pleaded, getting to his knees. Emily Jane regarded him coolly. His amber eyes looked into hers, "I only want the boy. Once he's gone, I will help the parents allay their fears. They will leave. They will leave you and the others alone. Give me one boy and you'll be at peace."

"And you'll stay out of Hogwarts?"

Pitch put his hand over his heart, "On my honor."

"Why do you care about him so much?" she demanded.

"You know as well as I. He's been prophesied to be my downfall. You don't want that. Do you want to see your own father slain? Come, my dear."

She stiffened, "I make no promises. But I will consider your request."

"That is all I ask for," Pitch said. The world swirled and Emily Jane flew back to Hogwarts. How much was the Frost boy worth? More than her father, more than the school?

For now she would only watch. But in time she would have to decide. Her father or the boy.

* * *

"Let's stop here for the night," Cassandra suggested. Flynn glanced down at the dark medallion. It felt slightly warm. That seemed to be how it worked. If he went in the right direction, it got warm. If he went in the wrong direction, it got cold.

"Okay," he agreed, checking that the ledge they were on would provide sufficient coverage for the Stabbington brothers who were following. There was a lot less foliage up on the mountain, but the winding path and outcroppings of stone provided good hiding places for thieves.

Cassandra unpacked their bed rolls while Flynn made the fire. Maximus kept watch as they settled down to dinner. Hard rolls and dried fish again.

"You don't know any spells to improve this, do you?" Flynn asked as he choked down a particularly rubbery piece of fish.

"If I did, I would be fixing mine," she said with a grimace. "What about you? Didn't you tell me once you were a master chef on some pirate ship?"

"First off, it was a privateer ship, not a pirate ship. There's a difference. Second, I wasn't a master chef, I was the first mate doubling as the cook," Flynn said, recalling the details from the book, _Tales of Flynnigan Rider._ "And third, the ship's hold was stocked with lots of ingredients. Not fresh, but a whole lot more to choose from. We had spices and herbs and-"

"Whatever," Cassandra shrugged. "I'm sorry I couldn't have bought more supplies. I've never been to India before. Not only could I not read any of the signs here, or figure out what anything is, but I have no idea how much rupees are worth. I couldn't tell if I was being cheated or getting a good deal."

"Yeah," Flynn sighed, "that's part of why I had to learn Italian. Well, that, plus my Roccolta/Roccolto debacle."

"Okay, I give," Cassandra said. "What happened?"

"Roccolta means "collection." I kept hearing people talking about this great roccolto that was worth millions of dollars. So I thought it was just the masculine form of "collection." I spent months trying to figure out whose collection it was. Some guy's, I assumed. And then, I learned it actually meant harvest. I can't steal a harvest. I'm good but not that good."

Cassandra smiled and moved closer to him, "I thought you weren't a thief?"

"Oh. Uh ... well. I have to eat sometimes," Flynn said quickly. He took another bite, choking down the salty fish. They were silent for a few minutes. Flynn had almost given himself away. He couldn't let his guard down. He had to be Flynn Rider.

Once they finished dinner he moved away from her and the horse and pulled out the medallion.

He gently stroked the carved lines. Pitch wanted him to leave it in the fairy's hideout. He still didn't know if he was going to do it or not. He'd tried disobeying Pitch's stupid orders before when he was tasked with delivering a letter to the Gryffindor princess. That got him expelled. What would happen if he resisted this time?

Flynn sighed and tucked the medallion back into his vest. He'd have time to think of what he was going to do later. For now, it was time to sleep off that horrible meal. Maybe tomorrow he could talk Cassandra into making her owl hunt. It would be nice to have decent food again.


	10. Hiccup's Nightmare

**A/N: That warning I had at the beginning of this story? This is the chapter. Again, I don't think it's worse than any other part of my story, but I know some people have triggers, so if you're worried, skip the last section in this chapter.**

* * *

After maybe a month of sleeping in the trees and avoiding the castle whenever he wasn't in class, Jack finally got an idea, and the courage, to reclaim his bed. He waited until well after dark before slipping into the bedroom. As he expected, everyone, even Mr. Gaunt, was sleeping.

Jack wasn't one for direct attacks. He vastly preferred pranks and tricks. That was probably part of why he ended up in Slytherin. Climbing up into the rafters, Jack settled down. If his recent experience of sleeping in the trees was any indication, this ought to work.

He didn't worry about falling out. If he didn't fall out of a tree twenty feet in the air, he wasn't going to fall off a wood beam only eight feet off the ground. He carefully positioned himself above the bed occupied by Mr. Gaunt and drifted off to sleep.

His dreams were neither nightmares, nor pleasant, but he was pleased with the effect when he woke up. The bed canopy underneath him was dipping under the weight of snow. Just like when he slept outside, it seemed that Jack created snow while having dreams. He pretended to still be sleeping as the others woke up to the frosty room. The boys shivered and looked up, quickly donning their clothes and hustling out of the room. Mr. Gaunt took a lot longer.

Unlike the boys, he had not spent the last six years living with an Ice Elf, so it probably didn't occur to him that the sudden chill was caused by one. He slowly pushed aside the curtain of the four poster bed and climbed out. Jack watched through half closed eyes as the older man took in the snow. And then -

" _CONFRINGO_!"

The blasting spell hit Jack, knocking him off the rafter onto the stone floor. Before he could recover, Mr. Gaunt was at his side, seizing him by his scruff.

"You little imp, how dare you!"

"How dare YOU!" Jack replied, wriggling out of the grasp and shoving the older man away. "The Headmaster specifically said the refugees aren't suppose to interfere with the students! How'd you like it if Hogwarts was taking in Ice Elves as refugees and they'd been kicking Derek around?"

Mr. Gaunt's face turned red and his eyes flashed as he pulled out his wand and levied a curse at Jack. Jack was ready with the counter-curse and managed to block it before impact.

"I've been able to block curses since your boy started using them on me," Jack said. "I'm not afraid of you."

Mr. Gaunt tried another curse, and again Jack blocked it, silently thanking Hiccup for the private lessons all those years ago. Blocking curses was easy. Jack, however, refrained from casting curses. That wouldn't do any good for his reputation.

Mr. Gaunt yelled, "You're a danger to everyone I care about."

Jack's defenses slowed, just in time to get hit with a Conjunctivitis Curse. His eyes quickly swelled shut. Rather than casting the counter-curse, Jack decided to take a play from the way he'd been handling the Muggles.

"I'm not a threat," Jack said, lowering his wand. "All I want is what Hogwarts promised me."

"They should never have let you in," Mr. Gaunt's voice came from close by. Jack held still as the older man whispered into his ear, "You're a danger to everyone here."

"I am not," Jack countered. "I've had six years to do ... whatever it is you think I'm going to do. I've only got one year left. All I want is my bed; the right to walk in and out of my own room."

Jack held his breath as he listened for any sign of Mr. Gaunt, unable to tell where the older man was. Finally he heard a spell and the swelling in his eyes went down. He opened them to see Derek, holding out his wand. Had he cast the counter-curse?

"Jack's right, Dad," Derek said, not meeting his father's eyes. "We only have one year left."

Mr. Gaunt took a step back. He was frowning, "I suppose."

Jack didn't like the way Mr. Gaunt was looking at him, but he was making some progress. He had to keep going.

"Look, I swear to you, I am no danger to anyone here. I promise you. If I ever do anything to injure or in anyway harm Derek or any wizard, I will bow out. No fighting. No forcing. I'll leave of my own will."

Mr. Gaunt's lips tightened, but he nodded, "Very well. I will see about other sleeping arrangements."

The older man left the room. Jack turned to Derek. He cocked his head and grinned.

"You came to rescue me?"

Derek scowled, "I came to help my dad. I thought you might have turned him into an icicle."

"But you undid his curse?" Jack prodded.

"Yeah ... well ... I still don't like you ... mudblood," Derek said.

Jack smiled. The insult hardly bothered him anymore.

* * *

After Merida's foot got caught in a dragon trap, she recruited Hiccup to teach her and the other students how to undo traps without magic if ever caught in them. He seemed rather glad to have a project not related to politics.

"Okay, you see this bolt," Hiccup said, demonstrating on a trap she'd brought back to the castle.

"If we slide the pin out like this, the pressure will be lessened. Your fingers should be able to pry the two sides apart, freeing whatever's trapped in it. Of course, it's best to find them without activating them. In which case you'll want to set the trap off without endangering yourself. You can do this by taking a long stick. And pressing the trigger point. Carefully. Be sure to examine the whole trap first."

Merida sighed as Hiccup over-explained how to examine everything. Most of the students looked bored. They hadn't seen what she'd seen. They didn't know how it felt to be stuck in a trap, not knowing how to disarm it. Not being able to call upon magic. She wondered how many other wizards had been caught in similar traps that she hadn't been able to free.

Hiccup finally concluded his presentation and all the students filed out, most talking about how Vikings must not be as ferocious as rumored. It almost made Merida feel bad for Hiccup. But she had more important things to do than worry about his ego.

Leaving him to clean up the traps, Merida made her way up to Gryffindor tower. Her brothers and the other refugee children housed in Gryffindor sat around the fire. For a moment, Merida wondered why, on a warm day, the kids would be hiding by the fire.

"Is something wrong?" Merida asked. Harris, Hubert and Hamish ran from the fire to crowd around her legs.

"We've all had nightmares," Hamish explained tearfully.

"You said to stay in the light if we saw the shadow man," Harris added.

Merida looked at all the children. They nodded in agreement. They'd all had scary dreams. She hadn't come to mind her brothers. She'd come to feed the mouse she'd kept as a pet from Burgess. It would only take a minute, and her next class started in fifteen minutes. But she couldn't leave the kids terrified.

Merida checked in the other bedrooms, looking for a Gryffindor who had the day off. There were none. Being the house of the brave meant that many of the Gryffindors had jumped at the chance to fight in a war. The ones who didn't have lessons had volunteered for rescue missions that Merida was too busy to handle personally.

Just as she decided to skip class and stay with her brothers, a knock came on the window. Looking out, Merida saw Jack Frost. She could have jumped for joy.

Racing to the window, Merida opened it and pulled Jack in.

"Can you watch my brothers for a bit?" Merida asked quickly. "I have somewhere to be."

Jack looked a little confused, but agreed to babysit. Merida, confident the children were in good hands, fed her mouse and left for class.

* * *

Merida left Jack in the Gryffindor Common Room surrounded by children. Was he even allowed in the Gryffindor Common Room? Jack shrugged it off. Since when did he care about playing by the rules. Merida needed him to watch her brothers and the other kids.

He looked down at them. They looked like they were between the ages of four and ten. He could handle that.

"Man, it's hot in here," Jack said.

"Merida said we're safe in the light," one of her brothers replied.

"You are. But that's no reason for it to be so hot. What do you say we play with a little magic?" Jack timed it so that a small snow shower started to fall on the children with his last word. Most of them giggled or gasped as the magic snow hit them.

They jumped up and circled around Jack.

"Is this all of you? All the refugees?" Jack asked. He knew it wasn't. There were some in Slytherin and he'd seen more in the Great Hall. But he also wanted to engage the kids.

"No," a girl said, shaking her head. "There's more in the hospital wing and some of the classrooms. But they aren't our friends. They aren't Gryffindors."

Jack gave his lopsided grin, "Until the sorting, you kids weren't either. Today's too warm for anyone to be inside. Let's go round them up."

He twirled his staff, creating a cool breeze and flew out the Gryffindor door. The children followed quickly. Jack iced up a banister and the triplets were quick to climb on and slide down. Jack caught them at the other end.

"Hey!" Jack called out once the children reached the Great Hall. "I don't know where the other kids are ... so how's-about a scavenger hunt for them? Without bothering the students in class, gather up everyone you can find and bring them out to the green. Whoever gets the most people wins. Then I'll show you what I can really do! You have fifteen minutes! Go!"

He ran out as the children ran off. Once outside, he started a small snow storm.

Twenty minutes later, the green was filled with kids, both refugees and students who had off. Jack waved his staff and made the snow swirl up into a snowman. The kids marveled. While they were distracted, he hurled a snowball at Iolanthe, a Slytherin third year. She laughed and grabbed a fistful of snow, continuing the game.

Very soon, the entire field was a flurry of snowballs. Jack joined in the fun, waving his staff to cast a compacting spell on the snow, making snowballs for easy ammo.

If only every day could be like this.

* * *

Hiccup paced around his room. The fear gripped at his chest, compelling him to leave. To run. To get away from the castle by any means necessary.

Logically, he knew it was stupid. Not only was there nothing to fear inside the castle, well, not the stuff he was afraid of this time, but leaving would be unbelievably stupid. He would be setting out in a hostile environment with virtually no protection, endangering himself and Toothless.

Hiccup kicked the bed with his metal leg. What was wrong with him? He's been kidnapped, tortured, lost half his leg, and was bullied for years. None of that made him frightened. He never shied away from dragons despite being hurt by them. He was willing to forgive and forget with the Outcasts. So what was different about this one?

He let out a sigh and left the room. Maybe the answers would come if he took a walk. Or at least it might calm the panic. As he neared the kitchen, he heard a growl. He tickled the pear in the painting that hid the door to the kitchens and glanced into the house-elf's domain. The Easter Bunny lay by a large fire, looking more like a bunny and less like a man. An elf was feeding him carrots. He looked up sharply when Hiccup entered, his nose twitching.

"What's a stickybeak like you doin' in the kitchens. You ain't supposed to be here."

"Are you okay?" Hiccup asked, as Bunny reached down and pulled a spike out of his hind leg.

"I can handle it. Don't you have classes to get to or something?" Bunny snarled. "You're working with the princess on something, aren't you?"

"I should be," Hiccup confessed, "but I don't know what to do."

Bunny sighed, "Yeah. Neither do we."

Hiccup cautiously asked, "Pitch couldn't be here at the school ... could he?"

The Easter Bunny shook his head, "Nah. Though the Man in the Moon watches over the whole world, he keeps a special eye on our bases: this school; Santoff Klaussen; my warren. He can't stop an attack from up in the moon, but he'll let us know if a threat's gotten in. He's seen no threats enterin' Hogwarts. Least not the super natural kind."

Hiccup nodded and left. He hadn't expected a different answer. If Pitch was behind the panic, it should have gone away when he entered the safe haven of the school. No. This fear was bigger than Hogwarts. It was something to do with Scotland.

Hiccup would have to do what he always did to control his fear. He needed to study. Not only would it calm the panic, but maybe he would find some answers. Off to the library he headed.

* * *

Rapunzel waited during History of Magic. Most of her friends dropped the course in their sixth and seventh years. It wasn't required and, even though Toothiana usually made the lessons interesting, most teenagers had better things to do than worry about the past.

Even Rapunzel had considered dropping it but had decided not to. She had plenty of free time all summer … and probably for the rest of her life. She might as well stay busy. And now that she needed an audience with the Tooth Fairy, she was even happier she hadn't dropped it.

Catching up with Toothiana was nearly impossible. She never seemed to be in the Ravenclaw dorm, and the Guardians had substitutes about half the time. Merida explained it was because they were all fighting Pitch Black. A few of the Guardians were even talking about resigning from their teaching professions to focus solely on stopping the spread of Pitch Black's darkness.

Fortunately, today the Tooth Fairy was in class. Rapunzel could see why the Guardians were thinking of retiring.

Normally, the Guardians could pass for humans. When Rapunzel first met Tooth, she thought the older woman was wearing a wimple made of feathers. It was only much later that she realized the feathers were coming straight out of her head. Now, though, there was no mistaking the blue and purple feathers for decorative cloth. It was obvious they grew on Toothiana, mostly because they were all askew. Her large violet eyes had deep bags under them. Her wings, normally kept down in class, like a cloak behind her, now stood bent, and she even sported a slight limp.

After the lecture ended and Tooth dismissed the class, Rapunzel approached her.

"Professor," Rapunzel said timidly.

Toothiana looked up and gave a weary smile, "A question about the material?"

"Um, no," Rapunzel said. _Don't chicken out._ Rapunzel swallowed, "I … Mother and I had an idea."

Tooth cocked her head to one side.

"You … you can mess with memories, can't you?" Rapunzel asked, desperately wishing one of her friends was with her. It was so much easier to ask in groups.

"I am a keeper of memory," Tooth said, holding herself high. "My fairies collect teeth and help people remember when they need to. We do not interfere with the memories."

"But you could, couldn't you?" Rapunzel asked.

"Any wizard or witch can cast a memory charm," Tooth said. "Try your charms teacher."

Tooth left her in the empty classroom. Not exactly what Rapunzel had expected. She supposed she wasn't clear. _This is what comes from mumbling,_ her mother's voice rang in her head.

She didn't think an ordinary charm would be enough to erase the memory of her from the entire world. She needed Guardian magic. But how to ask for it? Maybe Mother could help.

Rapunzel sighed and went to her next class, wondering how long she should wait before trying again.

* * *

Hiccup tossed and turned as the early October storm pounded on the window of his room. As he finally fell into a fitful sleep, he was transported to another castle's dungeon. The dungeon of Castle DunBroch.

 _'You've a visitor', the guard announced. Hiccup sat up and watched Merida enter._

 _"Sorry about this," she said softly. Something about her voice sounded off, but Hiccup couldn't tell why. He moved over on the bench for her. She took his hands and leaned over, kissing him. He barely had time to register what was happening. He quickly moved to push her away. He loved Astrid. She knew that. But Merida refused to budge. She held onto him with more strength than he would have thought possible for a teenage girl, even a strong one like Merida. Hiccup was so focused on pushing her off, that it took him a moment to notice it wasn't a normal kiss. Instead of saliva, his mouth was filling with sand. And not normal sand. The sand, once out of Merida, took on a life of its own, crawling into his body, climbing down his throat, into his lungs. Hiccup started to cough and sputter, trying to force the sand out. The girl finally let go._

 _"You ... you're not Merida," Hiccup stammered, clawing at his neck._

 _"Nope," Fake-Merida said. The shadow behind her morphed into Pitch Black. Hiccup scowled, but the poison Pitch had forced in him was starting to take effect. His limbs felt weak. He could barely move. Pitch-Merida grabbed him, holding him close to his ... her? chest._

 _"You will soon be my slave," Pitch-Merida whispered into his ear. It was Merida's voice, but his accent was off, sounding more English than Scottish. Hiccup tried to pull away, but was too weak. All he could do was turn his head. Pitch-Merida was quick to grab his chin, forcing his head back so she ... he? could make more threats, "I want you to remember this. To remember it was me."_

 _Pitch-Merida kissed him again as the pain started. All of his insides felt like they were being sanded, a feeling he knew well enough from dragon licks._

 _"How?" Hiccup managed to squeak out despite the pain, "How ... can you be Merida?"_

 _Pitch-Merida smirked. An evil look that he'd never seen on the real Merida, even at her worst. She was hot headed and irrational. Not cool and conniving._

 _"Her parents were ever so helpful ... supplying me with all the things I needed to carry out your sentence. To turn you into a Fearling. They didn't know I needed her hair for polyjuice potion, of course, but they gave it to me all the same."_

 _Hiccup's body started convulsing and he lost all sense of thought as his world faded to black._

Hiccup woke with a start, his sweaty palms reached up to touch his neck. Of course there was no burning sensation anymore. It was just a dream ... or a memory. The line was fuzzy. He didn't think he remembered how Pitch made him a Fearling. So had his brain just suppressed the memory? Or was it a fake dream, sent by Pitch to scare him even more than he already was?

Hiccup slowly got out of bed and left the school, running through the rain until he reached Toothless. The dragon purred contentedly when Hiccup reached down to hug him.

It didn't matter if the dream was real or not, Hiccup decided. This was real. And this was all that mattered. At least for the moment. Just Hiccup and Toothless. No one else.


	11. Planning the Game

Babysitting the kids became a regular occupation for Jack. He didn't mind. With such a light schedule, he had plenty of time to devote to the little ones. And coming up with fun games was a particular talent of Jack's.

One late October day, Jack created a strong breeze, sweeping all the fallen leaves up into piles and watching the kids jump into them. He laughed as they rolled around in the foliage, and didn't notice the time passing, until Iolanthe came up to him. She tugged at his sleeve and pointed.

"The shadows," she said. Jack was instantly alert, grabbing his staff tightly. He looked across the grounds. The shadows looked normal to him, but that didn't mean she hadn't seen something. Even if it wasn't a dark creature, the shadows were only getting longer and darker as the sun set.

"Hey kids!" Jack shouted, waving his staff, creating a swirling breeze to herd the children closer to him, "Time for dinner!"

He used the breeze to shepherd the children up to the castle and down to the Great Hall. Jack had stayed out later than he meant to. Most of the students had already eaten dinner, but there were a few stragglers still lounging around the hall. One of which, Jack noticed, was Hiccup. Jack tilted his head, directing the gaggle of children to the Hufflepuff table. He took a seat next to Hiccup.

Hiccup gave him a half smile before turning back to his pile of books.

"What 'cha working on?" Jack asked. The downside of not having many classes was that he rarely got to spend time with his friends.

Hiccup bit the end of his pen before jotting something down. "A letter to my dad, and another to Merida's parents."

"Oh. Sounds important," Jack said. He didn't always understand his friends when there were doing political stuff.

"Extremely," Hiccup said, wiping his brow. "If I mess this up ... it could escalate things. I just can't seem to get the words right."

Hiccup dropped his head in his hands. Jack leaned back on the table.

"Ugh, sounds like you could use a break." He jumped up, "Hey, I got it! Do you wanna build a snowman? Come on, let's go and play. I never see you anymore, it's like-"

"That actually sounds like a good idea," Hiccup said, "but I don't know ... it also sounds like it'll take a long time."

"Sure. With me, the fun never ends," Jack said.

Hiccup chuckled, "I know. But I'm going to need it to. Having fun is great and all but I've got duties, expectations, responsibilities ... and I'm starting to sound like Merida. Oh well, maybe her parents will like it if I sound like her?"

Hiccup leaned over and started writing again. Jack turned back to the kids, narrowly resisting the temptation to start a food fight.

Later, as he was tucking the children into their beds, an idea struck. There was a way for Hiccup to 'slightly' relax, but not take too long. An idea the kids had toyed with last year. What if they had a year long competition? A spectator sport. Hiccup could take his breaks to watch it, and not feel like he was giving up too much time when he could be doing other things.

Jack was going to put together Quidditch teams.

* * *

After his last class, Hiccup put aside all distractions, and sat down to pen a letter to Merida's parents.

 _Dear-_

No, that wasn't right.

 _To the King and Queen of Scotland._

That sounded much better.

 _To the King and Queen of Scotland._

 _This is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the III, the Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans._

Was that too formal? Maybe he should shorten it.

 _This is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the III, the boy who escaped your dungeon last year when you attempted to turn me into a Fearling._

 _It was never my intent, when I escaped, to start a war. I only wanted to help both our lands. I still want to help. Please. Call off this war. Make magic legal again. I will defend Scotland from Vikings and dragons._

He didn't really know what else to write. Vikings weren't big readers, so learning how to write diplomatic letters to enemy nations was never seen as important. And of course, Hogwarts didn't teach politics.

Hiccup rolled up the letter, not sure what to do with it. He couldn't sent it by dragon, that was for sure. No one would get close enough to the dragon to take the message from it, assuming that they didn't kill the dragon on sight.

Maybe he'd borrow an owl from the owlery.

Putting the letter to the royal family aside, Hiccup picked up the letter he'd received from his father.

 _Come home._

That was all it said. Hiccup might have been tempted to follow the advice, were it not for the letter from Astrid he got the day before.

 _Scottish ships have been spotted on the horizon from where we're watching. Barf let out his gas without sparking it. The Scots on board got sick and sailed away. We don't know how long we can keep them at bay. At least Dagur is still in jail. The Outcasts are helping to defend our coast, but we're worried that if they run into the Scots first it will be a violent conflict. They won't just send scouting ships out._

Hiccup crumpled up her letter. He needed to do something. But what? What could he do? Either from Berk or afar? The only good thing about the war was that it distracted him from his feelings. But then again, if there was no war, he could give into them and run away.

Deciding he'd put the letter off long enough, Hiccup tucked it in his bag and went off to the owlery. Maybe Thor would send a lightning strike to inspire him.

* * *

Flynn Rider rubbed the charm Pitch Black had given him as he directed Cassandra up the mountain. Now with a clear idea of where to go, it was just a matter of getting there.

The Stabbington brothers posed a small problem. They followed at a distance, only at night. He knew they were keeping up, but keeping them a secret from Maximus and Cassandra was getting harder and harder as the mountain path narrowed and the vegetation thinned.

"So just how close are we?" Cassandra asked, wiping her brow.

"I'm not sure," Flynn said, "but I don't think it's far."

Flynn took the lead as the ledge narrowed even further. The bend in the mountain prevented him from seeing what was beyond. The ledge might just drop off. He took careful steps as the path got smaller than his boot. Thankfully, after about five feet of being only six inches wide, it started to spread out.

As he came to the more solid ground, a grove of trees spread before him.

"It's safe over here," he called to Cassandra and Maximus. He waited a few minutes for them to join him. Maximus had a particularly hard time of it, having four legs instead of two, but with a little magical help from Cassandra he stood on his hind legs and inched across the chasm.

"I wonder if the trees have any fruit," Cassandra said, approaching one. Flynn saw it move before she did. One of the tree branches drew back and lashed forward at her. Flynn lunged at the girl, knocking her down before the tree could.

"Hey!" she said, scrambling away from him. In his effort to get her away from the threatening branch, he'd knocked them both under the second tree. It did the same thing as the first, only catching an unprepared Flynn in the stomach. Cassandra, realizing the danger, ran at Flynn, grabbing his arm and dragging him up. The willow trees continued to lash out.

Maximus chased after them as they ran through the grove of enchanted trees. Several times the branches made contact, but the adrenaline kept them going until they reached the end of the grove.

Panting hard, they stopped just out of range of the last one.

"Whomping Willows?" Cassandra said. "I didn't think they grew in this region."

Flynn reached down for the charm. It was warmer.

"I get the feeling that was a trap, meant to prevent people from doing what we're doing. It means we're getting close."

Flynn lay down on the ground and started checking himself over. He'd been hit several times. In the morning he'd have a lot of bruises, but nothing felt serious.

"How are you doing?"

Cassandra rubbed her head, "Fine, I think. I guess I owe you one, huh?"

"We can call it even when you don't arrest me," Flynn said. Cassandra smiled at him. A soft smile. Clear indication that his smolder was working. He smiled back. After a minute of rest, he remembered the horse.

Maximus was limping up to them, a trickle of blood running down his haunches. Flynn ignored his own pain and got up to check the horse. Cassandra was at his side. She pulled out her wand and made a splint for Maximum's injured leg while Flynn conjured fresh water and cleaned off the wound.

"There might be more dangers up ahead," Flynn suggested. "I propose we rest here. Recuperate a bit, you know, before we press on."

"Good idea," Cassandra agreed. She started to set up camp for them.

Flynn looked back at the Whomping Willows. That trap might just stop the Stabbington brothers, if he was lucky. And if he and Cass could find another way home, maybe he was free?

* * *

Stoick paced around the Meade Hall, clutching the letter from his son.

"Are you going to finish that?" Gobber asked, eyeing Stoick's plate. Stoick slammed his fist on the table, making the tray fly at Gobber. The other man caught it easily with his good hand.

"So, what's on your mind?" Gobber prompted before taking a big bite out of the steak. "Is that from Hiccup?"

Stoick scowled, "Of course it is, Gobber! Who else would be writing me letters?"

"Well ... Sometimes Durmstrang, or another wizard school writes to you. And of course Oswald the Agreeable used to ... I guess he won't now that he's dead. But hey, that Princess did once ... didn't she?"

"Aye. She asked us to take in refugees from Scotland. Mixed families. Wizards, Muggles and squibs alike. Imagine. Muggles and squibs here."

"So what does Hiccup say?"

"He wants the same thing. He says it was his idea to send them here. And he promises to come home if I accept."

Gobber put down his food, "What are you going to do?"

Stoick growled and crumpled the letter, "We have no right to take citizens from another country."

"You're not going to do it?"

"I didn't say that."

"Stoick," Gobber said seriously, getting up to face his friend, "I once warned you that the best thing you could do for Hiccup, if you couldn't stop him, was to prepare him. Whether you want it or not, you can't live forever. Someday, Hiccup will be chief of Berk."

"But he'll have more experience then. He'll make better decisions-"

"You don't know how far off that day is," Gobber reminded him. "And how is he to get the experience if you won't let him?"

"What would you have me do?" Stoick growled. "Retire now, let Hiccup make all the decisions?"

"Not all of them. But maybe give his ideas a test run. Take in one batch of refugees. See how it goes. Your boy has good ideas. He served me well as an apprentice. He served us well as a dragon trainer. He's going to serve us well when he's chief. Let this be his trial run."

"And his offer to come home?" Stoick prompted, turning to his friend for advice. "Should I hold him to it?"

Gobber shrugged, "I don't think he can do half as much good here as he can there. You have to admit, of all the Vikings we've got, Hiccup is the most eloquent. The least likely to start a blood feud if they say something horrible. And much as you want to protect him, this island isn't exactly a pinnacle of safety. We've been attacked on our shores plenty of times."

Stoick left Gobber to his meal and returned to Hiccup's empty room in their hut. He pulled out the Viking helmet that Hiccup had left behind. Valka's old breast plate.

"Oh, my love," Stoick whispered to the plate, "I wish you were here to give me advice."

Of course there was no response. Stoick sat in silence for a few minutes before he went down to his desk to pen a letter to Princess Merida. Berk would accept the refugees and Hiccup was free to stay in Scotland.

* * *

"Slytherins aren't supposed to be in Gryffindor," Merida scolded Jack, pretending to be angry with him. He'd come to collect her brothers while she was in class one early November day. Of course, rather than knocking at the door or window, he'd somehow slipped in when she wasn't looking, hiding up in the rafters and causing a small blizzard when she walked past.

"Well, guess I'm not a Slytherin," Jack said, flipping around the beam and falling off, landing on one foot on top of his staff, balancing precariously.

Merida started to leave. She didn't care if he didn't belong in Gryffindor. As long as he kept her brothers entertained, she'd be happy.

She paused by the door. Jack took the bait. Rubbing the back of his neck, he came closer to her.

"Hey, uh ... Merida?"

"Yes?" she asked, not sure why her heart was beating a little faster.

"Remember that Quidditch game we had last year?"

"Oh. Yeah," Merida said. Last year she'd wanted to start Hogwarts Quidditch teams. But then political responsibilities got in the way. She hadn't given it a second though.

"I'm putting together a team."

"Really?" Merida asked. "With the kids? Will my brothers be on the team?"

"Nah. The kids are great, but coming from muggle families, most of them don't know how to fly. Much as I'd love to teach them, I'm not really a teacher. That's Hiccup's department. But I thought maybe we could get some house teams together so the kids could at least see what a Quidditch game looks like. The prospect of a Quidditch tournament could give everyone something to look forward to ... the way we all used to look forward to Winter Break. Back when we could go home."

Merida couldn't help but wince at the pain in Jack's voice. At least she got to leave home voluntarily. She hadn't had to escape from a cage.

"I think it's a great idea," Merida said. "So what do you need from me?"

"Talking with the kids, we agreed that they want to see house teams. I'm in talks with the Slytherins, but we need someone to go against. I was hoping you could spread the idea around Gryffindor."

"Of course," Merida agreed, brushing her hair back behind her ear. Her brothers chose that moment to come tumbling down in their winter cloaks.

Jack grinned. "Just remember, you'd better put together the best, most awesome team you can. Or us Slytherins will flatten you!"

"Oh, you think so?" Merida threatened playfully. "Not if I fight for 'em. I'll see you in the Quidditch pitch!"

A clock struck nine. Merida grabbed her books and ran to her next class, Transfiguration. Bunny wouldn't care that she was late. Unfortunately, Bunny was not there today.

When she reached the classroom, she found Mr. Gaunt.

"You're late, Miss DunBroch."

"It's Princess, actually," Merida said stiffly, taking her seat. She'd been in other classes that Mr. Gaunt substituted for.

"Yes, whatever," he sneered. He turned to the rest of the class, "I don't suppose we could expect a Muggleborn to be on time. It's not like they could ever keep up anyway. However, Miss Princess, next time you decide that you don't need all of the lesson, why don't you do us a favor and not show for any of the lesson?"

Merida's face flushed at the insult. She shouldn't care. She was doing the right thing. She knew that. Learning magic was important and all, but now that she was a seventh year she knew enough about magic to research the gaps on her own, without needing a stupid teacher to insult her. Unlike the other kids, her future wasn't even that uncertain. After the war was over, she would either go back to being a princess, or be arrested as a criminal. Either way, her parents would decide her fate.

A tear slipped out at the thought. All that fighting to change her fate. She changed it alright. But was it for the better?

* * *

After another fun day playing with the children, Jack took them all back to bed.

"Thank you, Jackson," the nurse said as she started to help the kids get into their pajamas. "When Headmaster Ombric said there were going to be thirty to eighty extra kids under the age of 11 and that they were all going to have to stay with me, I almost quit."

"Hey, no prob. I like kids," Jack said. "And not all of them stay with you."

Jack looked meaningfully at several other children standing in the hallway. They were mostly relatives of sorted students, and were housed with their siblings.

The nurse rolled her eyes, "Even without 'em, this lot is a huge burden. Especially when Madame Gothel gives me no help."

"She doesn't?" Jack's eyes widened. It was no secret to him why Gothel chose to be at the school with Rapunzel. But he would have thought she'd at least have done a little to make the nurse think she was helping.

"Oh, she does a few things. Mostly helps me with brewing potions or gathering herbs and the like. She's not really good with children. I know she's a mother and all ... but between you and me, I wouldn't let my daughter stay with her. But I guess that's life, eh? Anyone can be a mother, whether they're good at it or not."

"Princess Rapunzel isn't exactly her 'daughter,'" Jack pointed out.

The nurse shrugged, "The king must see something in her, eh?"

One of the kids started to kick in his sleep. The nurse rushed over to tend to him, and Jack took the other kids back to their houses, dropping Merida's brothers off before taking the Slytherins home.

"This was fun," a little boy said, yawning. Jack picked up the four year old and carried him down to the dungeon. "I don't know why Mama said I shouldn't play with you."

"I do," an orphan girl said, fingering her locket, "but I think they're wrong."

"Thanks," Jack said as he reached the door. "Parseltongue."

The door opened and he and the children went in. The orphan girl was ten, going on 11. She would be sorted next year. If Jack had any say in it, she would have been left in the Infirmary with the other refugees. But Mr. Gaunt had intervened. He said her blood was 'destined' for Slytherin, and that she should only associate with her own kind. Whatever that meant.

The girl ran off to the first year's dorm, where she was staying. Jack gave the boy to his sibling and turned to go into his own room. The other boys were in Astronomy class, so he was alone. Well, except for Mr. Gaunt.

"Late again, elf?"

Jack bit his tongue, ignoring the tone and set about getting ready for bed.

"I suppose discipline problems run in the family, eh? What with Muggles and elves for relatives."

Jack turned away, trying to resist the bait. Mr. Gaunt kept trying.

"If you were my son-"

"If I were your son," Jack snapped, "I'd be exactly the same, except I'd hate my father for being a speciesist git."

Jack struggled to control his temper. The last thing he needed was to freeze the room. It would only prove to Mr. Gaunt that he was right to distrust Jack's powers. Jack took several calming breaths before turning back to Mr. Gaunt.

"Would it kill you to leave me alone? I don't bother you or your kids. In fact, I've been staying away from all the Slytherins!" Jack sighed and turned away, "I guess _your kind_ can't, can they?"

Jack shut his curtain without looking at Mr. Gaunt. He waited a minute to see if Mr. Gaunt was going to curse him, but nothing happened. Jack closed his eyes and, after a bit, managed to fall into an uneventful sleep.


	12. The Match

Rapunzel was awakened by a pounding on her door. She looked up, but Mother was nowhere to be found. Hesitantly, she answered the knock.

"Who's there?"

"It's me," a familiar Scottish voice answered. Rapunzel opened the door to admit Merida.

"What's wrong?" Rapunzel asked. "Is the school under attack again?"

"Nah," Merida said, dropping her blood-stained sword on the ground. "I need you. I've just been out to Balgowan, stoppin' another witch hunt ... well ... it turned into a riot."

"What do you need me for?" Rapunzel asked, stroking her hair. She had a feeling she knew the answer.

"An old man was hurt," Merida explained. "I ... well, I was hopin' you could heal him?"

"I don't know," Rapunzel said.

"Come on, please?" Merida prodded. "You know he'll die if he doesn't get help."

Rapunzel bit her lip, "Alright. I'll help."

Tucking her pillows under her blanket just in case Mother came back, Rapunzel followed Merida down the empty corridor. Outside, the stars were starting to fade, though it would still be an hour or so until the sun came up. The old man was in the Great Hall, lying just inside the door, gasping for breath. Despite his difficulty breathing, a golden sand frog was hopping above his head, indicating he was fast asleep, knocked out by the Sandman's dust.

Rapunzel laid her hair upon him and sang.

"Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine." The hair glowed and the man's breathing relaxed. Then, as the song continued, she noticed something. His gray hair was turning to brown. His skin tightened, losing its wrinkles. She cut her song off immediately, but it was too late. He looked young. Well ... maybe not young. But younger. Probably around fifty, when he'd started at seventy or eighty. If she'd finished the song, he would probably have reverted to the age Mother always became when Rapunzel sang, 25 or so.

"Does ... does that always happen?" Merida asked.

Rapunzel stared in horror at what she'd done. How could she be so careless? It never occurred to her that healing injuries on the elderly would also cure the ailments that caused aging.

Before she could say anything, the doors flew open and Mother burst in, clutching Merida's sword. She grabbed Rapunzel's shoulders.

"What have you done!" Gothel demanded, shaking Rapunzel. Rapunzel was too stunned to react.

"Hey, I asked her to," Merida said, standing up. "I didnae know this would happen. It didn't happen when she cured me mum."

"Of course it did," Gothel scoffed, "but she had aged so gracefully that no one noticed."

Gothel shoved Rapunzel aside and turned to face Merida. Rapunzel stayed in the background. This was all her fault.

"YOU! You should stay well away from my Rapunzel ... you little traitor! I told Rapunzel. I told her not to let anyone know about her hair. My one request. But somehow you lot discovered her secret. And even if you meant well, you didn't think ahead!" Gothel snapped, backing Merida into a corner with her own sword, "I am the only person who looks out for her; who cares about her! You only see her as a ... a ... a magical solution to your war. Well, you can't have her! Rapunzel is going with me and you had better hope that your carelessness didn't do any harm!"

Gothel threw the sword on the ground and turned to Rapunzel, "Come, Rapunzel. And maybe this time, you will learn. Mother. Knows. Best."

Gothel grabbed Rapunzel's arm and dragged her away. Rapunzel, trapped in her thoughts about the man she'd accidentally de-aged, followed. Mother was right. Mother knew best. Rapunzel should never question her.

* * *

Queen Elinor jabbed her needle into the kilt. The third kilt. The one that would be Hubert's if he were home for his sixth birthday. She'd finished the other two weeks ago. Fergus cautioned her to slow her stitches, but she couldn't. Focusing on the needle, going in and out of the cloth ... it was all that kept her sane these last few months.

"Do you suppose they've eaten?" Elinor muttered as she tied off the thread.

"Of course they 'ave, lass," Fergus replied as he paced up and down. "Mer -The traitor ... she ... I'm sure she's taking care of them."

Elinor put down her sewing as her eyes filled with tears. She wanted to believe that Merida was being a good big sister. That Merida would preserve their family. But Merida had kidnapped the boys in the first place. Elinor didn't know what to think of her first born anymore. Breaking tradition was one thing ... but this? There was no coming back. Whether Merida ever came back or not, nothing would ever be the same.

As a tear slipped from her eye onto the cloth, a knock came from the door.

"What is it?" King Fergus bellowed. The door opened and a boy stepped in. One of the lord's sons. The blue paint on his body made his skin look pale in the candlelight. King Fergus indicated for Young Macintosh to come further in.

"My dad sent me as a messenger," he explained, taking off his wet cloak. "One of the farmers in our lands shot down a dragon."

"The rebel boy?" Fergus demanded, turning on the Macintosh boy, grabbing him.

"No. Not Hiccup. Nor any Viking," Young Macintosh explained, peeling the king's fingers off his shoulder, "but it was carrying a message."

"Well? Out with it!" the King demanded. Queen Elinor stopped her sewing as she listened, her ears tuned for news of the children.

"' _Dear son_ ', that'd be Hiccup, I guess." Young Macintosh read on, " _Berk is not a place for Muggles but if you and that princess insist, I suppose I can give it a try. I'll send Gobber to meet you on November 20th at midnight. We'll be at the landing place close to the school. I am only sending one boat for this trial. Be sure to fill it wisely_."

Young Macintosh rolled up the scroll and looked at the king. Elinor's head was reeling. The 'princess' in the letter. Could it be her Merida? They had received a few letters from her at the beginning of this ordeal, but King Fergus had torn them up in anger without giving Elinor a chance to read them. While she often took the lead on diplomatic measures, she never tried to fight him when he'd made up his mind. As much as she was angry at Merida for splitting apart their family, she still wanted her daughter back. She would take any news she could get on the girl.

"Your Majesty?" Young Macintosh prompted after a moment of silence.

"Where's the dragon that delivered this?" King Fergus demanded, taking the letter from Macintosh's hand.

"Back at Castle Macintosh," Young Macintosh said. "Its wing is broken but I've been nursing it."

Fergus's eyes narrowed, "Nursing it?"

"Um ... yeah. Well ... you know I've met Hiccup, right? I mean, spending time with him is as good as taking a 'Care of Magical Critters' Class ... or whatever that lesson Princess Merida was complaining about was ... uh, Sire."

"Fergus," Elinor warned, seeing her husband's eye twitch. He got like this whenever Merida or magic was brought up.

"Right. Were you close with the boy, then?" Fergus demanded.

"Not close. No," Young Macintosh said. "I just met him once or twice. Gave me a few pointers on dragons. We were trying to stop the dragon attacks last year. And they have stopped. At least in my area. The dragon with the message ... it was the first one we'd seen in months."

"Alright," King Fergus said, pursing his lips. "You are to return home and get this dragon for me. Bring it straight back here. Malcolm will go with you."

King Fergus waved his hand and Malcolm came in and escorted the boy out. Elinor put her sewing down and placed her hand on Fergus's.

"What's in your mind, dear," she asked, not sure if she wanted to know.

"This letter," Fergus said, clutching the parchment. "It's the key. We'll get the boys back. But I don't know if I trust that Macintosh."

"We've always trusted the Macintosh's," Elinor cautioned. "Now is not the time to be warring amongst ourselves."

"I know. I know. That's why I sent him on his way. But I don't know how much of an influence my daugt- the traitor is on him. Or the rebel. Wasn't he the first to agree with her on breaking tradition? If he still agrees with her ... I have a plan. We'll soon be a family again."

Elinor leaned in and kissed her husband, her head resting against his chest. If only they could get their children back. She would give anything for them to be home safe and sound.

* * *

Hiccup woke from another nightmare and went straight to his journal. Headmaster Ombric was almost always gone, but Hiccup managed to communicate with him through Katherine. He told her of his frequent nightmares and uncontrolled fears, though he left out the possibly fake memories of fake Merida's lips on his as she - he- poisoned Hiccup. Ombric told Hiccup not to give into his fears, but to keep a journal. Write down when and where he was when he felt the feelings. Ombric could use his time travel to check if Pitch Black had personally visited Hiccup.

After scribbling down the notes, Hiccup didn't feel much like sleeping. He pushed back the chair and left the Hufflepuff dorm room.

As he passed by the Great Hall, he heard a quiet sobbing above the low crackling of a fire. Peeking his head in, he spotted Rapunzel.

"Kind of late, isn't it?" Hiccup said softly. Rapunzel jumped up and almost fell over.

"Oh ... I'm sorry if I bothered you," Hiccup said, stepping back. He thought his metal leg clanking on the stone floor would give him away, but apparently the girl was too lost in thought.

"No, no ... don't be," Rapunzel said, brushing her hair back. "I ... I shouldn't be here."

She stood up quickly. Hiccup took her hand.

"Is everything alright?" Hiccup prompted, noting that her hand was wet from tears.

Rapunzel sighed and looked at her bare feet, "It's ... Moth- I mean, I'm fine."

Hiccup pulled her back down onto the bench. She wasn't fine.

"Look, I know I'm busy and everything," Hiccup said gently, "but we're still best friends. You believed in me before ... pretty much anyone else. When we met on the train that first day ... I thought they might turn me back. Tell me I wasn't magic enough to attend. You didn't even know me, but you still believed in me. If you're having troubles ... I believe in you."

Rapunzel smiled and wiped away a tear, "Thank you, Hiccup."

She took a deep breath. Hiccup waited.

"It's ... It really is nothing," Rapunzel reiterated. "It's just ... I did something I shouldn't have. Mother ... she said if I wasn't going to take her advice ..."

Rapunzel sniffed as another bout of tears started. Hiccup put his arm around her as she let it out. After the tears subsided, Rapunzel turned away.

"No. I shouldn't be telling you this. It's ... it's really a family thing."

"I understand," Hiccup said, nodding, "but know that you can always count on me if you need any-"

Hiccup was cut off as a dragon crashed through the window. He jumped up and ran to it. The dragon was small, just a Terrible Terror, but its wing flopped about. He cradled the dragon and stroked its wing.

"Hey, Rapunzel?" Hiccup asked as his fingers went over the awkward angle of the wing. "Do you suppose your hair can heal dragons?"

Rapunzel sighed, "Why not? It works on Pascal."

She put her hair on the dragon and sang. Once the healing was done, Hiccup's attention was completely on the dragon. Rapunzel turned and left as Hiccup read the parchment.

Time to coordinate with Merida. Help was on the way.

* * *

Gothel paced back and forth in her room. Had she been too harsh on Rapunzel? If she was ... Rapunzel might run off to tell Jack. And then he'd spoil all her plans.

"Don't worry about the Frost boy," her shadow said.

"How can I not? He knows!" Gothel wailed.

"I have a plan for him," the shadow replied. "He will not be a factor for long. But we must time it right. You must take her the same moment I take the boy, or one of them will notice the other's disappearance."

"I know. I know. But I have to make her see it my way."

"Here's your chance," the shadow said, falling silent. Gothel turned as the door opened. Rapunzel trudged in, wiping tears from her eyes.

"My dear, what's wrong?" Gothel asked.

"Y ...You were right, Mother," Rapunzel sobbed, falling into Gothel's arms. "They all just want to take advantage of me. I don't suppose Hiccup meant to."

"Oh darling, does it matter if he meant to or not? Tell me what happened."

Gothel petted Rapunzel's hair as the girl spilled her story. Finally, her friends were pushing her back to the safety of the tower. Gothel could work with this.

"I ... I mean I can heal, so I suppose I shouldn't be upset that he wanted me to sing for his dragon."

"NO! You should be upset. He put that dragon above you. He was willing to risk your safety, your freedom, all for a ... a sprain."

"I think it was broken."

"It doesn't matter. It wasn't life or death. He could have used a healing spell. He didn't even try. He just used you. Just like they all want to use you. The world is filled with horrible selfish people. And there's only one way to be free of them."

Rapunzel heaved a big sigh. Gothel kept pressing, "You know what you must do, then, don't you?"

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel consented. "I suppose I should go ask Tooth now?"

"Oh, you don't need to right this minute," Gothel said, continuing to run her fingers through Rapunzel's hair, "but very soon. Perhaps over Christmas break?"

Rapunzel sniffed, "Yes, Yes. Mother. I'll do it."

"That's my good girl. Mother will protect you. Mother will keep you safe. I love you very much, dear."

"I love you more," Rapunzel said.

"I love you most," Gothel replied, burying her face in the wonderful, healing hair. Very soon it would be hers alone again.

* * *

The longship pulled up silently under the cover of darkness. The clouds blocked out the moon and stars. Gobber waited at the prow, keeping a wary eye on the coast. As the hours passed, a soft snow started. Gobber resisted the urge to shiver. Vikings don't get cold, he chided himself.

Then he heard the sharp inhale before the whoosh! He flinched from instinct, though the sound of a Night Fury no longer signaled doom in the Archipelago.

A minute after the sound, he saw them. Dark shadows swaying on the horizon. Gobber pulled the boat ashore as they drew near. Toothless with Hiccup astride bounded up to him.

"Nice to see you, dragon," Gobber said as Toothless licked him. Hiccup pulled Toothless back as the refugees approached, led on foot by Princess Merida.

Gobber looked at the refugees. Seven families in all, a total of thirty people. Most of the children hid behind their parents, and even some of the adults looked wary. Princess Merida approached the gangplank Gobber had set up.

"This is the boat," she announced. "You'll be safe on Berk."

Despite her proclamation, the refugees still stayed a good pace away. Not surprising. Vikings worked hard for their fearsome reputations. But he wasn't here as a raider. He was here as an ally. But how to break the ice?

"Step right up, everyone," Gobber said after a minute, "and grab an oar. The sooner we get to the Archipelago, the sooner you can start to feel at home. Berk may be a small island, but Stoick the Vast, our chief, has decreed that you lot 'll get the best of what we have. We've got fishing, hunting, and charming views of the sunset. You lot'll be set up in the Cove. It's completely secluded. A nice fish filled lake in the middle means you'll never have to fraternize with the Vikings unless you choose to. We even got'cha buildin' materials, so soon your little corner of Berk will look like a typical Scottish village. It'll be just like home."

The promise of home drove the fear from their eyes. The refugees climbed aboard the boat. Gobber watched as it bobbed further into the sea with each additional weight. Fortunately, his and Stoick's calculations were correct. The small boat could hold the thirty refugees, but only just. If they got too close to the shore they would run aground.

"You sure you can make it?" Hiccup asked, casting a wary eye on the boat as it listed in the water.

"Ay, we'll be fine," Gobber assured him. "You two get out of here. You've played your part. I'll take 'em from here."

"Thank you ... Gobber, is it?" Merida said, holding out her hand. Gobber took it. "Scotland is in your debt. If I ever do become queen, do not hesitate to call if you need help."

"I'll pass it along to Stoick," Gobber assured her, "though by the time you're queen I suspect we'll have a new chief."

Gobber glanced at Hiccup. The boy held out his hand and Merida climbed astride Toothless. Gobber watched until he couldn't see them anymore, then he turned back to his new crew.

"Okay, you lot. This is a small boat. With one or two passengers it only needs one Viking to row it. But I'll not be able to get you back to Berk if you don't help. So, at least the adults, take a seat on a chest or barrel, grab an oar, and try to go at the same time. All row!"

The refugees rearranged themselves and took the positions. Gobber corrected a few so they'd have a better grip on their oars and then had them practice rowing a bit.

Soon they seemed to be getting the hang of moving at the same time. Gobber steered them out towards the sea. As they reached the mouth of the inlet, the boat suddenly lurched to the left side. Gobber stumbled.

"What was that? Row!" Gobber commanded. The refugees put their paddles back in the water, but like before the forward stroke caused the boat to turn, this time, nearly capsizing. Gobber raced to the edge of the boat that refused to budge. Pulling out his wand, he cast the lumos spell. Just under the water, he spotted a rope.

"What is this?" Gobber cried, reaching down. He plunged his hook into the water, pulling up the top half of a net. What was a net doing five feet under the entrance of an inlet? It was low enough that an empty boat could slid right over it, but a loaded boat would be stopped.

"Oh no," Gobber said as he figured out what was happening. a heavy hammer came out of nowhere, whacking him on the helmet, knocking him unconscious.

* * *

"Are you going to be in the audience for the game?" Jack asked Rapunzel as they left the school, heading towards Hogsmeade. Since Hiccup and Merida were always so busy, Jack was trying to spend more time with Rapunzel. But lately she'd been distant. He wasn't sure if it was Mother Gothel's fault or the other students'. Either way, he hoped to give her life a little more fun by taking her on a Hogsmeade outing.

"I don't know. Who's playing?" Rapunzel asked, brushing back her hair.

"The first game's gonna be Slytherin vs Hufflepuff. I'm playing as a beater."

"Is Hiccup in it?" Rapunzel asked.

"He kind of wanted to play, but Hiccup never really mastered flying on a broom."

"I would have thought he'd fly on Toothless," Rapunzel said.

"We did a test run with that, but it didn't really work out. Toothless started to chase the bludgers when he was supposed to be playing keeper. Then he shot a fireblast at the quaffle and disintegrated it."

Rapunzel swallowed a chuckle. Jack smiled. At least he could still make her laugh.

"Will you be playing for your house when Ravenclaw goes up against the winner?"

"Oh ..." Rapunzel got very quiet, "No. I don't think I should."

"Why not? I know you don't fly much, but I remember playing Quidditch with you when we were first years. With a little practice you could be awesome."

Rapunzel blushed and pushed her hair back behind her ears. As her smile faded, she bit her lip, "Actually, Jack ... maybe I should tell you-"

Jack meant to listen to Rapunzel. Honestly he did. But a light bounced off something just behind her.

He narrowed his eyes and saw them. Hanging in the center of the window were two pairs of leather ice skates. One pair looked about his size ... and the other ... the other would fit Emma perfectly.

"Thinking of wearing shoes again?" Rapunzel asked, following his gaze.

"No. My sister. She's never had a store bought present before," Jack said, running his hand along the glass, framing the skates in a thin layer of frost.

"They are lovely," Rapunzel agreed. Jack reached into his pocket and felt a small pouch. The money from winning the Triwizard Tournament. As he pulled it out, a guilty sensation passed through him. He was unlikely to ever have money again. No one would hire a half elf to do anything. But the shiny skates drew him near. They looked so perfect. He couldn't resist their charm. He bought both pairs, wiping out most of the money.

With his new skates in hand, he and Rapunzel enjoyed their day out, heading back to the castle as the first snow fell over the school.

* * *

King Fergus marched down to the dungeons where the prisoners were waiting. They'd all been stripped of their wands and anything that could possibly be used as a weapon, including false appendages.

"Unlock the door, and let me in," he commanded. The guards rushed to obey.

Inside the chamber, the people presented a wretched sight. Many of them were still damp. All were filthy. But the one who stood out most did not stand out because of his wardrobe, but rather his limbs, or lack thereof.

The blond man, initially caught wearing a horned helmet, lacked both his left hand and right leg. A twinge of pain went through the king's own missing leg. He steeled himself as the limb-missing man propped himself up. He couldn't afford to feel sorry for these people. They were criminals.

"Are you the leader?" King Fergus demanded.

"Aye, I suppose," the man said. "Haven't seen you in a bit. How's the boys?"

Fergus took a step back. "What do you know about my sons?"

"Oh. Sorry. Um, I didn't realize - The last time we met, they were infants."

Fergus knit his brow. Why did the man's voice sound familiar? "I don't remember meeting."

"I always remember people I met over a pint. Did you ever get revenge on Murder?"

"Mor'du. Aye. Sort of. Merida -" Fergus's heart faltered as he remembered the last days of Mor'du. He'd thought his wife was dead. He was going to kill the bear once and for all. But Merida begged him not to. She believed that her mother was the bear, and he didn't listen. He could have killed his wife that night.

A horrid thought went through him. What if she was right this time as well?

Not willing to dwell on the thought, he bellowed to the guards, "Get this man a peg leg!"

The guards rushed to do it. Once the Viking, Gobber, could walk by himself again, Fergus led him out of the dungeon to a small room used for interrogation. Right or not, he had a kingdom to run ... and a family to get back. And this man might hold the key.

* * *

Merida waved her green banner high. She was the only Gryffindor rooting for Slytherin. Everyone else had sided with Hufflepuff. Well, all the official Gryffindor students, at least. The younger ones, like her brothers, were gung ho for a Slytherin victory, too. Of course, all that was Jack's doing. He zoomed around the Quidditch pitch at lightning speed, but didn't hesitate to come close to the stands, giving her and the kids winks ... and occasionally nipping at their noses.

"And they're off!" Rapunzel shouted. Despite not playing, she'd agreed to do commentary. Her high pitched voice echoed across the arena, but no one was listening. They were too busy watching the action.

Merida never spent time with Hufflepuffs or Slytherins aside from Hiccup and Jack, so following the flight was difficult. A second year Slytherin started by throwing the quaffle to an older girl. She caught it and went for the middle hoop. Just before the ball went through, a second ball, a bludger, came at her.

Before it could impact, Jack flew down and hit it at the other team before bouncing off the post and back into the fray.

The next few hours were a mess of people flying. Even Rapunzel had trouble keeping up with it.

"Malloy's after the Snitch- Oh no, it was a bee. She got away from it."

"Slytherin scores ... er ... wait, wasn't that the wrong goal post? Um ... I think Hufflepuff is still in the lead."

Merida took out a piece of parchment halfway through the game and started to jot down some notes. The clans of Scotland could also be easily mistaken for one another. To counter that on the battlefield, they took to wearing tartans. Maybe the players could do something similar ... like uniforms?

Merida continued to takes notes through the game. She became so engrossed in improving the way Quidditch was played, she didn't notice Hiccup until he was right by her side.

"Did you see this?" he said, gripping a piece of parchment in his hand.

"Is it a score card?" Merida asked, her mind still on the game. Wordlessly, Hiccup handed her the paper. It was written in Norse Runes, but Hiccup had taught her enough to decipher it. She tuned out the jubilant shouts as she read.

 _Hiccup, it's me Gobber. I'm not sure where I am. Scotland, I guess. The king seized our boat with the refugees. We're all prisoners. He's holding off on de-magicfying us. I think he expects you to rescue us. That's why he let me write you. It's probably a trap. Anyway. Let your father know how it's going. He is the chief. And tell the others I said hi, even if I never come back._

Merida's heart leapt to her throat as she read the letter. All the refugees were captured?

"When I tell my dad about this," Hiccup said, "he might full out attack Scotland. I'll try to stop him ... but I want Gobber back."

"I know, I know, let me think," Merida said. She tapped her quill. All the refugees captured. Used as a bait to trap Hiccup, Stoick, or possibly even her. She couldn't let any one of them fall into that trap. Right now, Scotland was mostly persecuting wizards and witches. If Berk attacked ... she didn't want to think about the chaos that would ensue.

"We can't let this get worse," Merida said. How would Mum resolve it? Probably with some kind of deal for peace ... like a marriage ... or a treaty. She turned to Hiccup, fire in her eyes, "We'll get them back. My dad isn't the only one who has leverage. I have something ... someone he wants back."

The game forgotten, Merida and Hiccup left to draft the letter. A real-life game was starting to unfold.

* * *

 **A/N: Next Sunday, and the Sunday after, I will be on a train and will not have a consistent internet connection. I've instructed my editor how to post, so there shouldn't be a delay, but I thought I'd give you a heads up in case anything goes wrong.**


	13. The Day of Fate

"Do you want me to do it for you, dear?" Gothel asked.

"No, I can do it," Rapunzel said, running her fingers through her hair.

"Now don't be silly, my dear," Gothel said. "You've had plenty of time to ask and you haven't managed it yet. I'm not sure you're up to the task."

"Of course I am, Mother," Rapunzel said.

Gothel put her arms around Rapunzel and pushed her out the door. "Good, then let's go!"

Gothel steered Rapunzel straight to the Tooth Fairy's office, giving her little choice in the matter.

Rapunzel took a deep breath and rapped on the door. They waited for a while. Rapunzel started to wonder if the green fairy was even there. Certainly she knew that the Tooth Fairy had other things to do than deal with Hogwarts students.

Just when Rapunzel was about to suggest to Mother that they come back at a different time, the door opened.

The Tooth Fairy leaned weakly against the door frame. Rapunzel never realized how short she was before. Normally, Tooth bounced around with so much energy that she seemed to float. Not today. If it weren't for the green feathers around her head, she might pass for a third year.

"What is it, dear?" Tooth asked with a sigh. Several feathers were bent out of place. When the Tooth Fairy went to smooth them down, they fell out.

"Oh, if you're busy ...," Rapunzel started.

"Don't be ridiculous, Rapunzel," Gothel said. "Ask her."

Tooth's violet eyes became more attentive. She looked over Rapunzel seriously, "What do you need of me?"

"Just like we practiced," Gothel whispered.

Rapunzel took a deep breath, "I need you to help me. I want everyone to forget about my magic hair."

"Make them all forget about Rapunzel," Gothel added.

The Tooth Fairy recoiled slightly, her head cocked, "That's awfully big magic."

Rapunzel looked down at her hands, "I'm sorry … I shouldn't … "

"Don't back down now," Gothel said, pushing Rapunzel into the Tooth Fairy's office. Gothel turned to the fairy, "Please, my daughter is in danger. The school has been attacked several times by her enemies. She will be hunted for the rest of her life. Surely you know what that's like."

Tooth's wings fluttered slightly, "That may be, but my job is to preserve memory."

"So you can't do anything?" Rapunzel asked meekly.

"I didn't say that," Tooth sighed. "If I were willing to do it … well … we'd need a replacement memory."

"Replacement?" Rapunzel asked.

"Memory alteration is almost always better than memory erasing. Filling in the gaps with a plausible story stops people from investigating and analyzing the holes. If you woke up and couldn't remember what you did yesterday, you'd go around asking people about it, trying to discover what happened. But if you woke up and remember that you lay in bed sick all day, you would accept it and, unless someone actively told you that you'd done something different, you wouldn't look into it."

"Oh," Rapunzel said. She supposed Tooth was right.

"Great. I have just the story," Gothel said. "We all know that Princess Rapunzel was kidnapped as a baby. The Muggles were led to believe that the kidnapping was successful so they would not seek her out. Could we replace everyone's memories with that story?"

"That should work for most of the outside world," Tooth agreed, "but we'll need something for the people who know her. She can't just disappear from their memories."

"Can you replace her with someone else?" Gothel asked. "A similar girl with long, but not abnormally long, blonde hair?"

Tooth thought for a minute, then nodded, "Yes. I can do that. No Rapunzel will have gone to this school."

"Thank you," Rapunzel said. "Can we go now?"

Tooth opened her mouth, but a smaller fairy darted into the room. They had a small chirping conversation. Tooth finally turned back to Rapunzel.

"Not right now. Rapunzel, you realize if I make everyone believe you were kidnapped and lost to the world, you can't come back to the school as Rapunzel?"

"I understand."

"Good," Tooth said. "My fairies inform me that there's been a Pitch Black sighting. I have to go now. I'll come erase your memory just as Christmas Break starts. You'll have the break to think about your new identity. When you come back, you'll introduce yourself with your new identity."

The Tooth Fairy ushered them out before flying off. Rapunzel sighed. She'd done it. She'd be free soon.

* * *

After the success of the Quidditch match, royal troubles notwithstanding, the children were eager for another outing.

"Can't you teach us how to fly?" Aiden demanded. The boy had started speaking since Jack was playing with him.

"I'm not really much of a teacher," Jack said one late December day as he tucked the children in.

"But you've taught us lots of games," Sally, the Slytherin orphan, said.

"Games are a little different than flying," Jack explained. "If I teach games wrong, you just won't have fun. If I teach flying wrong, you might fall. You wouldn't want that."

"Well, teach us a new game then?" Hamish demanded, stomping his foot. "I'm bored with hopscotch."

Harris and Hubert nodded in agreement.

"Tell you what," Jack said, looking out at the night sky. "I'll see if I can stir up a few feet of snow for tomorrow. Then we can go out and make a fort, or have a snowball fight or something."

"Yay!" all the children shouted. Jack rushed the little tykes off to bed before having a fly around the castle to summon the snow. It was perfect timing for a snow day. Just a day until winter break. All the students could use a break from the stress of class.

Jack's plans of starting a school-wide snowball fight were dashed when he woke up the next morning, however. Once he made his way past the snide remarks of the Slytherin adults and up to the main floor of the castle, he couldn't see anything outside. The sun was obscured by thick swirling snow. He was certain he only left his snowstorm on for a few hours. This blizzard ... it wasn't him, was it?

Jack went outside and tried to clear away the flurries, but it wouldn't ease. Though the cold wouldn't harm him, he could still feel the chill. He turned and went back inside to wait out the storm with the other kids. Merida's brothers met him on the Main Staircase.

Jack shook his head, brushing the snow out of his hair as he stepped back in through the great doors. "Too cold. A snowball fight in this wouldn't be fun."

The boys shoulders sagged as disappointment showed on their faces.

Jack bit his lip, then smiled, "You know, I think I thought of something more fun than throwing a bunch of frozen water."

Instantly they perked up.

Jack grinned, "Go get on your warmest clothes, and meet me in the tallest astronomy tower."

The boys ran off, and Jack twirled his staff, flying to the tallest point in the castle. With each suit of armor he passed, he gathered the shields, taking more than he thought he would need.

Reaching the top of the tower, Jack opened the window. The blizzard continued, but Jack could direct some of the wind. He caused it to pile all the snow on the same side of the castle, making a steep hill on the north side.

The boys soon reached the tower. Following behind the three princes were the other refugee children. Jack smiled and held out the shields.

"Okay, one shield at a time," Jack instructed. "I'll ease the storm and make sure you don't crash."

The triplets climbed onto the makeshift sled and Jack pushed them out the window, down the hill he'd made. The blinding snow was no trouble for him. The boys screamed as he put the wind at their back, blowing them faster and faster towards the forest in a chaotic run.

They reached the bottom of the hill in record time, Jack maneuvering the ice to avoid trees.

When the sled finally came to a graceful stop, the boys popped up and ran back to the castle, dragging the shield with them.

Jack, meanwhile, flew back up to the astronomy tower and gave the next child, the Slytherin 3rd year, Iolanthe, her turn. Jack engineered another wild ride.

All the children were having fun. So was Jack. He lost track of the time as he sped them all along their way.

* * *

Hiccup tapped his foot as he waited. Merida paced beside him, clenching and unclenching her fists. He knew both of them were freezing, but the nervousness made her sweat.

"Relax," Hiccup said gently. He heard a flurry of wings.

"You summoned us," Astrid said. Hiccup smiled and nodded at the two riders. Astrid and Snotlout had come at his call.

"How's Berk?" Hiccup asked.

"Not great," Astrid replied. "Your dad's on the warpath. Gobber never came back."

"I know," Hiccup admitted. He quickly related the message he'd received from Gobber.

"So ... why'd you summon us?" Snotlout asked as he picked his nose. "Shouldn't you have told your dad about this?

Hiccup tried to control his shaking. He didn't want to admit, especially to Astrid and Snotlout, that he was still terrified of Scotland; that the prospect of seeing the king sent shivers down his spine. And even though he knew Merida had not really hurt him, he could still remember that moment as if she had. He didn't want to be alone with her and her father... just in case.

"I need some backup," Hiccup finally said. "We're meeting the King of Scotland tonight. Here. I want you and the dragons to watch my back."

"We can do that, sure," Astrid said. "But uh ... why us?"

As she said it, she eyed Snotlout.

"Astrid, you're quick at battle strategy. You'd be the first to notice, and act on, any threat to myself, Princess Merida, or Toothless. And Snotlout, you're the ... most intimidating." Saying the words almost choked Hiccup. He hated having to compliment his cousin but he needed the back up. A little flattery couldn't hurt. "One look at you, and any approaching army would turn away."

Snotlout snickered, "They would, wouldn't they?"

"Or when they smell you," Astrid said slyly. She then turned to Hiccup, her face serious, "Why not call all the Riders for back up?"

Hiccup rubbed his head, "I don't want to leave Berk unguarded. This king isn't as stupid as he looks. Agreeing to this meeting could be a trap. The twins and Fishlegs are watching, aren't they?"

"Yep. Well, Fishlegs is guarding Berk. Who knows what the twins are doing," Astrid said.

"You should probably hide the dragons," Merida suggested between paces. "I'm not sure how Mum and Dad will react to wizards, but I know they don't like dragons."

Hiccup showed his friends the caves under the island where Toothless was sleeping. Once the dragons were safely out of sight, they waited.

When the stars faded, just before the sunrise, Hiccup spotted the boats.

Instructing Astrid and Snotlout to stay back, he and Merida stepped forward to greet the Scottish emissaries. The king himself had come.

* * *

The triplets watched as the other children all took their turns. Each ride seemed longer than the last. Going first, they'd gotten the shortest ride. It wasn't fair.

Jack did say they could go again, but only after all the other children who hadn't gone yet got to go. With each passing moment, that line grew as other students got out of class and joined the group at the top of the tower. Jack had a good memory for faces and knew who had or hadn't gone.

The boys held a silent conference and came to a decision. They didn't need Jack to slide down a hill. They were almost six. They could do it on their own.

Waiting until Jack and his chosen students were out of sight, the boys pushed their sled to the edge of the hill and prepared to slide down.

"Jack said one at a time," Sally, the refugee girl who lived in Slytherin said, reaching for them. She grabbed Harris' ankle as they pushed off. Rather than letting her pull him off the sled, Hubert and Hamish seized his arms and the four of them toppled over the side of the gigantic snow mound.

This ride was not fun.

Without Jack to steer, the shield careened dangerously down the snow. The wind blew flurries of loose snowflakes in their faces, obscuring everything in front of them. The shield would hit bumps and fly up three feet in the air, before spinning wildly as it crashed down. The children screamed as the sled picked up speed and hurled them directly into the forest, the children flying off in different directions into the trees. Then the world went black.

* * *

Merida gulped as she saw her father. It had been half a year since she'd last seen him. That half a year had not been good to him. His hair was still wild, but now filled with gray hairs instead of just the red ones. He waddled off the row boat, followed by Lord Dingwall, Lord Macintosh, and their sons. The boys waved halfheartedly at Merida.

She steeled herself and took Hiccup's hand, stepping forward.

Her father's face kept twitching as he did the same. They met in the middle of the island.

Hiccup had already arranged a flat rock with a large paper on it to draw up a treaty.

"Thank you for meeting me here, sire," Hiccup said, making a deep bow. Merida took his lead and also bowed to her father, though less deep than Hiccup's. The three of them met at the rock table, their backup staying a respectful distance away.

"Like I had much choice," King Fergus grumbled.

"We want nothing more than to end this war," Hiccup said, "preferably without anyone else getting hurt."

"You be sendin' me people out to die in yer gladiator games," Fergus growled.

"No, sir," Hiccup said politely, not letting the king's anger affect him. "For one, we are Vikings, not Romans. Romans are the ones who do the gladiator games."

"I donae' care what yeh call it," Fergus said. "We caught your ship taking our people into your rotten Archipelago."

"I sent them," Merida volunteered. "They weren't prisoners. They were refugees."

"Bah! Refugees! What nonsense."

"Magical refugees," Merida said firmly. "Mixed families. Like mine."

The king looked at her sharply. Merida held her head high, trying to imitate her mother. Queen Elinor could always control her husband, she often took the lead in political dealings. Maybe she could get her father to see her in that light.

"Your law is hurting the people," Merida said. "Families have been split apart. Husband from wife. Brother from sister. Father from child."

"It was their choice," King Fergus bellowed. "If everyone 'ad gone through the de-magicking process … "

Merida tried to keep her temper in check. Her dad was wrong. She knew that. But yelling about it wouldn't help. She had to make him see reason.

"You want people to be like you," Merida said, stalling to find the right words.

"Aye," Fergus said.

She looked from him to Hiccup and an idea crossed her mind. She gave a small smile.

"Would you cut off my leg?"

"What?" her father said. Clearly, this wasn't where he'd thought the conversation would go.

"Hiccup is missing his leg. So is Gobber, the Viking who is your prisoner. So are you. I am not. Would you, to make me like you, cut off my leg?"

"Of course not!" the king said angrily.

"But you would take my magic?"

"That's different!"

"Only because you can't see it," Merida emphasized. "Magic is a part of me. Of every wizard. Giving us over to an evil man to have it cut out is the same as cutting off our legs. It is painful. It is damaging. It is cruel.

"You have forced every family like ours to make a choice. Do they violate the law, or maim their family? It is not a choice most want to make. I have been doing what is best for my people. The only way under your savage laws. Sending people to the Barbaric Archipelago, a more tame place than here."

The king's whiskers twitched at the insult. His face became like steel. "What are your demands?"

Merida nodded to Hiccup.

"The people of the Archipelago, at least Berk, want to be left alone. Keep your warships out of our waters and we will keep off the coast of Scotland. We would also like the prisoners you took returned, magic intact."

"And you?" the king said to Merida.

"You will change the law. Wizards and witches are no longer to be hunted down. Those who wish to leave as refugees to the Archipelago may go. No more wizards will be forced to surrender their magic."

"Even if I amend the law, things won't go back to the way they were," King Fergus hissed.

"It will be a start," Merida said.

"And what do I get out of this?" King Fergus grumbled. "Why should I call off my war ships, change my laws, and release my prisoners?"

"For more valuable prisoners," Merida said. "If you agree to these terms, if you promise not to maim my brothers by taking their magic, I will take them home and turn myself in."

The king looked quickly between the two of them.

"The boys? They're alright?" he said, looking at Hiccup.

"They're fine, Dad," Merida said. "Um … I mean, your majesty."

She probably didn't need the formality, but she wanted her dad to remember that this wasn't a family matter, but a diplomatic one. He must honor his end of the bargain.

"Deal. But they'd better be alright. Not one hair on their heads should be hurt." The king turned to Hiccup, "If I have any reason to believe they've been mistreated ... I'm sending all my ships out after yer island, boy."

"Deal," Hiccup and Merida agreed. Hiccup drew up the terms of the contract. It was decided that the king would change the law first, followed by pulling his war ships out and finally releasing the prisoners. Once it had all been enacted, Merida would take her brothers back to Castle DunBroch.

Once the treaty was signed the king and lords departed. Hiccup and his friends mounted their dragons.

"You coming?" Hiccup asked, indicating the back of Toothless's saddle.

"No. I'll apparate to Hogsmeade and meet you back at the castle," Merida said. Once everyone was out of sight, she broke down into tears.

It wasn't like she hadn't expected the frosty reception from her father, but it still hurt. She wished he'd yelled at her. Or hugged her. Kissed her. Shown any sign that he loved her. She knew he couldn't. Not when she was officially a traitor. But it still hurt.

After letting the emotions out, she apparated back to Hogsmeade. This was home now. And soon she'd be leaving it to be de-magicfied and locked in some prison ... if she wasn't executed. But it was worth it for her people.

* * *

Despite the cold, Flynn's neck was burning. The charm Pitch had given him felt like it came out of a fire. Up ahead, the path narrowed. It looked like it had recently broken off, leaving only a four foot ledge. Beyond that, the path ended in a wall.

"So what now? Do we climb up and over?" Cassandra asked, looking up at the tall wall of rocks. Eugene went forward on the ledge, towards the wall, squinting. Before he could decide what to do, he heard the hoof beats. He turned to Maximus, the horse's ears perked up.

Cassandra pulled out her wand and held it at the ready. Flynn quickly looked around. He had no wand, no sword. Nothing. Balling his fists, Flynn turned to face the danger.

Was it the Stabbington brothers? Were they tired of waiting? No. They wouldn't be on a horse.

The bushes moved and a horse carrying the Captain of the Guard of Corona leapt out.

Cassandra dropped her wand. She gasped, "DAD?"

"Cassandra!" he shouted, pulling a sword from his belt. On his horse, he jumped between Cassandra and Flynn, the sword at Flynn's throat. Flynn was stuck on the ledge side of the path.

"Whoa, there," Flynn said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I know how this must look, but -"

"Shut up, kidnapper," the captain said. "I should have let them kill you."

"DAD!" Cassandra protested. "He didn't kidnap me. He's MY prisoner."

The Captain turned his head sharply in her direction, glaring at her. Flynn took advantage of his momentary distraction to start slowly stepping away, trying to get back to the thicker part of the path. The Captain noticed the subtle movement and jabbed his sword at Flynn. Flynn froze.

"Get on the horse," the Captain said through gritted teeth. He dismounted and seized Flynn. There went his chance for escape.

"But dad … " Cassandra tried. "We're almost there."

"Almost where?" the Captain asked, pulling out rope to secure Flynn.

"We were going to find out who kidnapped Princess Rapunzel," Flynn said. At this, the Captain slammed him into a rock. At least he wasn't on the edge of the cliff anymore.

"What do you know about her disappearance?"

"WHAT?" Flynn said, trying to breathe through the pressure on his chest.

"The princess is missing," the Captain said. "What do you know of it?"

Flynn never got a chance to answer. At that moment, a wooden stake flew out of the trees, hitting the Captain in the head. He let go of Flynn as he fell.

"We're tired of waiting," growled the Stabbington brother.

"It's an ambush!" Cassandra said, grasping for her wand, which she'd dropped earlier. One of them took advantage of her loss and caught her in the shoulder. She fell down hard.

Maximus jumped in front of her, kicking at the men, but there were two of them. The captain's horse tried to follow Max's lead, but it wasn't as skilled, and the human fighters backed it onto the ledge.

"FLYNN!" Cassandra screamed as one of the brothers kicked her. "Help my dad!"

The Captain of the Guard was just recovering from his shock at being hit by the stake when one of the Stabbington brothers stabbed him in the leg. He screamed.

Flynn looked up, where there'd been a rock wall now stood an iron gate. It started to fade from view as he watched. If he didn't go now, he would never make it. He darted across the narrow path and slid inside the gate just as it closed, hearing Cassandra cursing him from the other side. Then all was quiet.

* * *

When Merida returned, her legs exhausted from the cold and stress, she was surprised to find the Gryffindor Common Room quiet. She glanced up at a clock. Only seven. Dinner would be over, but she'd expect a few stragglers, especially on a cold day like today. People should be huddled together by the fire.

Maybe it was so cold they'd gone up to bed. Merida went to her dormitory but found it empty as well.

Despite her aches, she left the dormatory to find the other Hogwarts students and her brothers.

In the hall, she passed the fat friar, a ghost who haunted Hufflepuff house.

"Have you seen my brothers?" she asked.

"Hm? Not recently. But I'm not as fond of slides as the students." The Ghost pointed to a staircase. Merida set off.

As she drew higher, the murmur of voices wafted down. A cold wind chilled her as she got to the landing at the top of the stairs. Jack perched on a windowsill, helping the last pair of students onto a sled - no, a shield. A metal shield.

"What's going on!" Merida demanded, marching across the room.

Jack said a few word to the kids and jumped down to meet her.

"Just giving them some fun," Jack said. "Wanna go?"

Merida ignored him and went to the first year students. She grabbed a girl's hand off metal. As she expected, the ungloved hand was red and raw from touching the frigid metal.

"Uh … oops," Jack said sheepishly when he saw the hand.

"It doesn't hurt," the child protested.

"I wanna go down the slide!" the other kid cried.

"I'll take them down," Jack said quickly, "then send them to the Infirmary."

Merida nodded approvingly. Jack did as he said he would and rejoined her a few minutes later.

"Where are my brothers?" Merida demanded when Jack flew in the window and started to clear away the snow that had blown into the castle.

Jack paused and looked up, "I know they were here at the beginning."

Merida's nostrils flared, "Where are they _now_?"

Jack grabbed her hand and flew her down to the Infirmary. Many years ago, Rapunzel had known a charm to find Hiccup. She said it didn't work over long distances, but hopefully the boys were close.

But they couldn't find Rapunzel. Or Mother Gothel.

"First my brothers, now my friends," Merida said, rubbing her head.

"I saw your brothers," the girl who had mild frostbite on her hands said.

Merida and Jack turned to her.

"It was noon or so. I saw them and a girl go down the hill in a sled. But then a moment later, you came back," she nodded toward Jack, "and sang a silly song. I forgot about them."

"I didn't take them and a girl down the hill," Jack said. His face paled, "Oh no."

He seized Merida around the waist and flew her back up to the tower. Opening the window again onto the darkened landscape, he flew Merida down, guessing at where the boys might have landed.

"HARRIS!" Merida screamed into the wind.

"HUBERT!" Jack cried, trying to calm the wind with his staff. It didn't work. The storm was beyond his control.

"HAMISH!" Merida called.

Their screams drew some of the adult refugees out of Hogwarts. Despite their protests that Hogwarts was unfit for Muggleborns, they joined in the search.

Mr. Gaunt was the one who found the missing children, sending up green sparks from his wand. Merida raced toward them, and saw, sprawled out, half-buried under snow, her brothers and a girl she barely knew.

Merida ran to the boys and dug them out. Once freed from the snow, Hamish and Hubert started to wake, they cuddled next to Merida. Harris however was still stiff.

The adults helped carry the children into the Infirmary, laying them out on beds. The nurse checked them over.

The boys were crying.

"Merida, I'm sorry," Jack started to say.

"Leave us alone!" she snapped, keeping her eye on Harris. She'd never seen her brother hold so still, not even when he was sleeping. Jack sheepishly backed out.

"These three will be alright," the nurse said about Hamish, Hubert, and the girl that Jack identified as Sally, a Slytherin, pureblood orphan. She had already given them warming spells.

"But this one," she shook her head at Harris. The boys couldn't remember much of what happened, but from the various bruises that were developing, it seemed their sled had hit a tree. Only Harris was unlucky enough to have his head collide with one of the branches. He'd slipped into a coma, the nurse pronounced.

"He will be alright, won't he?" Merida asked. The nurse didn't look her in the eye.

"You just need to give them some space," the nurse said slowly. "They've had a rough day. Let them rest."

Merida nodded and took up a post by Harris's side. She had to make him better. She had to. Her world depended on it.


	14. The Forgotten

Flynn Rider had abandoned them. That was all Cassandra could think about as she swung her sword up at the burly man who assaulted her.

Lousy. She jabbed.

No good. She parried.

Second rate. She twisted the blade.

Thief. A forceful swing knocked the man's sword from his hand. He dove after the weapon as Cassandra advanced.

"You're under - Aah!" Her arrest announcement was foiled as he threw dirt in her face. Instinctively, she closed her eyes, only to feel her feet being kicked out from under her.

Rolling out of the way, she got back on her feet and charged. This time, the man was ready for her. His sword cut into her arm. She would have ignored the pain if she hadn't heard the neighing of Maximus.

Her head flipped around and she saw her father lying on the ground, the twin of her attacker standing over him preparing to deliver the final blow. The horses had been forced onto the narrow ledge, her dad between them and the attacker. They'd have to trample the Captain to attack the twin. Cassandra gave her attacker one final push before rushing at the other man.

He blocked her sword with ease, knocking it out of her hand, throwing her to the ground. With her father unconscious, she didn't stand much chance against these men.

Rolling under the sword, Cassandra grabbed onto her father. Maybe she could apparate them away?

Before she could cast the spell, one of her assailants snatched the back of her tunic, yanking her up.

"Feisty, ain't she?" he said, twisting her arm behind her back. "I see why Flynn wanted to wait."

Cassandra stopped struggling, "What do you know about Flynn?"

"Flynn Rider. Our partner. It was his idea to lead you out here where you'd be all alone," the man said, his voice gravely. Cassandra's heart trembled. A minute ago, she'd thought Flynn was just a coward. Now she knew. He was a traitor.

Her father groaned. She wasn't alone. She had to forget Flynn for now and get her dad to safety. She stepped hard on the foot of her captor. He shoved her down and raised his sword. Cassandra braced herself, shielding her father. Before the blow could come, Maximus and Fidella stomped hard on the ground. The ledge started to crumble. Cassandra held onto her father and rolled him off the side of the mountain, crashing down several feet.

She was aware enough to note that the Stabbington brothers hadn't landed within sight, if they'd fallen at all, which she hadn't seen. Sensing that she and her father were safe, she gave into the darkness as it came over her.

* * *

Rapunzel, unaware of what was going on in the rest of the world, waited with her mother in Professor Toothiana's office. Nervously, she fingered her hair, catching the long strands and then releasing them. As the minutes dragged on, Rapunzel bit her lip.

"Are you sure about this, Mother?" she asked. Gothel patted her on the head.

"Of course, my dear. Mother knows best, you know."

"I know, I know," Rapunzel said, squeezing her eyes shut, "but this feels ... wrong."

Gothel laughed in her face, "My dear, what would you know about right from wrong? Trust me. This issue is much too complicated for a poor little girl like yourself. Leave the decisionmaking to us grown ups."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel said with a sigh. The room was dark when Tooth finally came in. The large fairy leaned heavily on the door as she shut it. Her limp wings and feathers drooped as she made her way to the desk. Her violet eyes looked so tired.

"Are you alright?" Rapunzel asked. Tooth gave her half a smile.

"Fine. I'm fine, dear," Tooth said, smoothing the feathers on her head.

"Maybe I should come back later," Rapunzel started to suggest.

"NO!" Gothel said. "Classes are over. This is your only chance. Do it now, before everyone leaves for Christmas break."

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel said.

Tooth smiled, "Good. Good. So after my spell, you'll go home, right?"

"I have the portkey all arranged and I've already sent her trunk home," Gothel said.

Tooth nodded and took Rapunzel and Gothel's hands, "Okay. Let's go."

* * *

Jack looked to the sky. The storm had ceased but the damage was done. Four children were hurt and it was his fault. He never should have taken them out in the storm.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he headed back to the Slytherin Dungeons. He gave the password and went straight to his room, stretching out on the bed, feeling awful.

No sooner had he laid down than he heard the pounding of feet and saw the door flying open. All the Slytherin adults, led by Mr. Gaunt, stormed in. Gaunt marched across the room and loomed over Jack.

"You have to go," Gaunt commanded.

"What?" Jack asked, pushing himself up.

"You promised me all purebloods would be safe around you," Gaunt said accusingly, "yet your foolishness has done damage to the purest one of all. Sally Slytherin lies in the Infirmary because of you."

Jack turned from Gaunt to look at the others. They all bore similar hardened frowns. Jack opened his mouth to fight, but then closed it. They were right. The very thought of purebloods being right made him sick. But nevertheless, they were right. He had broken his promise.

Wordlessly, Jack gathered up his belongings and shoved them all into his trunk as the Slytherins stood sneering. A few even snickered as Jack made his way out of the dungeon.

Jack paused beside Mother Nature's door, but she had it sealed with vines. He kept going, heading up, back towards the hospital wing. That's where the other children were staying. Maybe he could take refuge there.

When Jack reached the Infirmary, he paused by the door, seeing Merida kneeling next to a bed. Maybe she'd cooled off and would accept his apology now.

Setting his trunk down at the entrance, he walked over to her.

"Hey, how are the boys -"

Merida turned and shoved him.

"This is YOUR fault!" she screamed in his face, tears running down her cheeks. "You've hurt me brothers. Worse. You've hurt all witches!"

"What?" Jack asked, incredulously. Sure, the boys getting hurt wasn't a great outcome, but that seemed like a stretch.

Merida brushed away her tears, "We had a deal. My dad and I. He'd stop persecuting witches for the safe return of the boys."

"Merida, I'm sorry -"

Merida's eyes glowered, "Now it's ruined. You make a mess of everything. Get out. I never want to see you again. And stay away from me brothers."

Merida turned back to the boys. Jack tried to apologize again, but Merida wouldn't even look at him. Feeling more dejected and alone he turned back to the hall. Forget staying in the Infirmary. But where could he go?

"Jack." A sharp voice came from a side classroom. Jack went in and found his head of house, Emily Jane Pitchiner.

"Yes?" Jack said.

"She's right," Mother Nature said, her voice icy.

"What?"

"You hurt those children."

Jack's heart froze. "No. I didn't -, I wouldn't -"

She walked towards him, her manner cold, "You did. This storm? It is you."

"No. It couldn't be," Jack stammered in disbelief. "I couldn't stop it."

"I know weather," she said. "I am often the cause of it. But this is not me. This was you. You. Overzealous to have a snow day. You started a storm last night and lost control. Merida is right. Mr. Gaunt is right. It is best you leave. Leave this house. Leave the school."

Jack's heart fell. It was not the first time he'd been expelled, but the last time was Pitch Black, a teacher who openly hated him. Emily Jane, on the other hand, had always been fair, or at least neutral. If she thought Jack was behind the blizzard … maybe he really was.

His world shaken, Jack grabbed his staff and flew off, leaving snowflake tears on his way out.

* * *

Flynn gasped as he came out on the other side of the gate. His eyes were met with towers. Lots and lots of spiraling towers covered in shimmering pastel tiles, twisting down from the mountain ledges around the hidden valley.

Keeping to the shadows, Flynn got closer. It took a moment for him to realize all the towers were swarming with tiny birds.

Creeping closer, he wondered not only where the princess's teeth would be, but how he would get to them. Some of the towers seemed to be floating in mid-air.

As he moved closer in, a tiny bird flitted by his head. It squawked at him. He almost jumped. It wasn't a bird at all, but a tiny fairy that looked surprisingly like his old history teacher.

The bird-like fairy cocked her head and darted down, grabbing his bag.

Flynn looked around. The other fairies either hadn't noticed him or were ignoring him. This little one didn't seem to be sounding any kind of alarm. She flew a few feet in front of him.

Swinging his bag further behind his back, Flynn followed the fairy deeper into the valley.

She led him to an outcropping of stone. Leaning over the edge, he could see a spiraling tower extending down. Carefully, he gripped the delicate golden decorations and climbed down.

As he climbed down, he noticed that each tile on the column held a smiling child's face.

The fairy led him down to a wide pavilion. She kept close to the column with the faces. As she slowed down, he started to recognize some of the faces. They looked remarkably like the children at the orphanage.

"Flynn," a voice he recognized called. Flynn almost jumped. He hadn't heard from Lance Strongbow since he'd fallen in with the Stabbington brothers. Lance was several years older than Flynn. He'd aged out of the system before Flynn ran away. During the first few years after Flynn got expelled, they'd pulled a few jobs together. Despite their friendship, they had different goals in thefts and Lance tended to use more extreme measures than Flynn was willing to go in for.

He looked around for his friend, but he was still in Tooth Palace, surrounded only by fairies.

"Flynn!" Lance called again. The voice sounded closer, and Flynn realized it was coming from the column. The fairy guide stopped right in front of a tile where the voice was strongest. Flynn looked down at the wall. There among the face tiles he spotted his own. Flynn stuck his fingers into the diamond hole and pulled out a cylinder. The fairy put her hand on it. Before Flynn could copy her, there was a loud pop and fluttering. Flynn slipped the cylinder into his satchel and slipped down the edge of the tower, under the platform he'd been on.

Just in time, too. The flurry of wings landed almost on top of him.

"They're arranged by continent," Professor Toothiana said. Flynn had to stop himself from gasping. Of all the blasts from his past, the history teacher was not one he expected.

"Here, this tower represents most of the Coronians living today," Professor Tooth went on.

"Yes, yes, get on with it," a woman said impatiently. Flynn felt like he'd heard her voice before, but couldn't place it.

"Wow," a young woman's voice said. Flynn didn't need to guess on this one. The end of her hair hung over the pavilion, directly in his face. Only one girl had hair long enough to dangle that far if her head wasn't in sight. Princess Rapunzel. The very girl whom he was looking for.

"Okay, so obviously you'll both want to keep your memories," Professor Toothiana said. "Ah, here's Rapunzel's!"

Flynn scooched himself up so he could see where she took the tube from, using Rapunzel's hair to keep him out of Professor Tooth's view.

Tooth handed Rapunzel her tube and started to fly around the tower.

"Strange, I don't see yours, Madame Gothel."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll find mine. Rapunzel, do that summoning spell," Gothel commanded.

" _Accio Mother's teeth_!" Rapunzel shouted, pulling out her wand. Flynn didn't see where the teeth came from. Some other column. She must not be native Coronian, he assumed.

"And, of course, the Guardians," Tooth said, darting to another tower.

While Tooth was distracted, Flynn spotted Gothel break a small egg behind her back, where Rapunzel couldn't see. A second tube flew into her hands. There was no way for Flynn to tell who's teeth they were, but the cylinder was black, not gold like the others.

The Tooth Fairy pulled out six cylinders from a central column and handed them to Gothel, "Anyone else who should know the truth?"

"No."

"My friends!" Rapunzel said.

"Rapunzel," Gothel scolded. "How many times have I told you. Erasing everyone's memory will only work if it's **everyone**. Even if your friends don't mean to harm you, they may spoil our plans."

"She's right," Tooth said, cocking her head. "I was often betrayed in my youth. But it's your secret, so it's your right to control who knows the truth or not."

"Why don't we compromise," Gothel said. "You can let one friend remember. Jack. He's the secret keeper after all. He'll remember the truth. And if he thinks it's safe, you can tell your other friends."

Gothel glared at Rapunzel with a look that made Flynn's blood run cold. The younger girl bowed her head and consented to the arrangement. The Tooth Fairy waved her arms and a pink bubble surrounded the three women.

Flynn held his breath as he realized his torso was in the bottom of the bubble now surrounding them. He grabbed his teeth and held them up to the top of the platform inside the bubble as he listened to the Tooth Fairy chant. All the columns shimmered, the fairies shuttered in their places. Slowly, the bubble around his head dissipated until he was in open air again.

"It is done," the Tooth Fairy said.

"Thank you," Rapunzel said. The fairy put all the teeth away, handing Gothel's off to a smaller fairy to put away. Flynn didn't know exactly what had happened, but he realized that he'd saved his memories from being affected by it. The Tooth Fairy flew Rapunzel and Gothel away. Once Flynn was sure they were gone, he climbed back onto the pavilion.

The fairy who first took him to his memories grabbed at his sleeve. The meaning was clear. He was only supposed to take his own memories. Flynn swatted the fairy away, he took the teeth identified as Rapunzel's and slipped them into his bag.

The fairy squawked and the other fairies swarmed around him. Time to go.

* * *

Rapunzel's stomach turned as she and Mother Gothel portkeyed back to the tower. Being unconnected to the Floo, and having no broom or skill to apparate meant that portkeys were the only way to get to and from of the tower now. Rapunzel didn't mind. She was finally free.

Once her body had adjusted to the new location she looked up at Mother, unable to stop the wide grin.

"I can't believe I did it."

Gothel gave a wry smile, "Yes, dear. You finally listened to me. Good girl. Now. Mummy is feeling a little run down, so ... please."

"Oh, of course." Rapunzel ran to get the chair, stool and brush. Gothel took her seat and brushed the hair as Rapunzel sang.

"Flower, gleam and glow..." The hair glowed. Mother grew younger. Once the deed was done, Rapunzel turned to her mother. "So, I've been thinking about my new identity."

Gothel rolled her eyes and leaned away from the girl. Rapunzel bit her lip, but kept going.

"I want something similar to my life. But without the hair. Do you think I could introduce myself as ... Rebecca or something?"

Gothel scowled, then started to smile, "Why worry your little head about this now, my pet? You have many more days to decide."

"But -" Rapunzel started. Gothel put her finger on Rapunzel's lip.

"Now, now, no need for you to shout."

"I wasn't -" Rapunzel tried to say. Gothel shook her head and laughed.

"My dear, you can't do anything right. Why do you think you could come up with a convincing fake identity?"

"But I -"

"Rapunzel, I said NO! I do not want to hear about your silly identity!" Gothel yelled. Rapunzel took a step back as Gothel rubbed her temple. "Great. Now I'm the bad guy."

Rapunzel bit her lip as Gothel grabbed her hair and went to the window.

"I'm going down to make sure the spell worked and get supplies for the winter."

The older woman slid down the hair to the ground, leaving Rapunzel watching from the window.

Pascal crawled out from the place he was hiding in her bodice. He gave a small chirp and pointed down to the ground with his tail.

"No, Pascal," Rapunzel said softly. "Mother is right. I don't know if the spell worked. I have to wait. It seems like I'm always waiting."

Rapunzel watched the trees blowing in the gentle breeze. She couldn't help but wonder, when would her life begin?

* * *

Hiccup felt good about the meeting with the king as he flew back to Hogwarts. Toothless enjoyed the night flight and Hiccup let him have free rein, chasing bats and owls in the cold night. He was in no hurry to get back to the school.

The meeting with King Fergus went as well as he could have hoped. Despite keeping a calm exterior, especially in front of Astrid, Hiccup had felt weak-kneed the entire time. A small part of him expected Merida to turn on him, draw her sword and stab Toothless. He knew it was just a nightmare, but the fear remained. Merida was his friend. She would not betray him. And if she ever did ... it would only be because someone was controlling her.

Toothless took him over the Scottish border and Hiccup noticed that this time he didn't get the terrible fright that initially kept him away. Maybe the meeting with the king had done something to ease his fears. After all, the king did swear that Scotland would not attack the Barbaric Archipelago. And he was going to stop sanctioning the people persecuting wizards. It was the most they could have expected. All Merida had to do was hand over her little brothers, safe and sound. What could go wrong?

Toothless descended on the lawn just after midnight. Hiccup fed him before heading in to bed. He was so tired. His eyes wanted to pop out of his head and never see light again. He barely noticed that his roommates were up. It was the last day before winter break. Of course they'd be too excited to sleep. He laid down intent on a good night's sleep, until he heard Crispin say:

"Serves the mudblood right."

Hiccup's eyes flashed open. He'd never heard Hufflepuffs using slurs like that. They tended to be loyal and accepting of everyone. Without getting up, Hiccup listened to their conversation.

"I still think she ought to kill the little beasts. Teach the king what it's like to have your family hunted."

"Don't say that," William said. "It's not her fault her father's daft."

"I'm not saying it is. But she's got some power over him, don't she? Otherwise he'd have attacked the school to get the triplets back. Why can't she use that power to help the little folks, instead of spending it all on those boys?"

The only triplets in the school were Merida's brothers. Hiccup was much more alert.

"Can you blame her?" William asked. "I mean, if my brother was dying, I'd probably be up there yelling at everyone, too."

Hiccup threw back his covers, "What happened?"

The boys looked at him. William answered, "All the kids were playing outside, but there was an accident with Merida's brothers. Now they're in the Infirmary."

"I heard the nurse say one of 'em might not make it," Crispin said.

Hiccup raced out of the room, up to the Infirmary. As he reached the area, he noticed no noise. No noise save a lone woman crying. Odd for a room so full of refugees.

He pushed his way into the room and found Merida kneeling at the bed of a red haired boy. Either Harris, Hamish, or Hubert. Hiccup couldn't tell. Hiccup didn't need to know which of her brothers was hurt. He sat down next to Merida and looked over the boy.

He was pale, and lying still as death. Merida leaned over him, her hands clasped in prayer.

He put his hand on Merida's shoulder and she started to cry.

"I'm so sorry, Hiccup," she whispered.

Hiccup took her hand. "It's okay."

"Your island - our treaty is ruined."

"We can worry about it later," Hiccup said. He would worry about his island. She had enough to deal with.

"But -" Merida said.

"Your parents don't know yet," Hiccup said matter-of-factly. "I'm sure your brother will be alright by the time of the transfer."

"And if he's not?" Merida said, looking uncertainly at the unmoving body.

"Hey, we've got magic. I bet you they're back to normal in a few days … and if it takes a little longer, I will deal with the political fall out. You focus on them as family."

Hiccup reached out to hug Merida and she broke down.

"Thanks," she said into his shoulder. He patted her head. People on Berk didn't comfort each other like this, but it felt nice. Now ... back to square one with saving Berk.

* * *

After creating a massive snow storm in Siberia, Jack felt better. The boys being hurt wasn't really his fault. Even if he had made the storm, he told them not to go out without him, didn't he? They should have listened.

He settled down on a snow mound, wondering what to do now. He had no home. His family wouldn't take him back as long as he had magic, he'd ruined his friends' lives … Nobody wanted him.

He looked around the frozen landscape. He could make a house out of ice. Maybe an ice castle? That would be fun. But it didn't really fit his style.

Jack had just decided to make a fun house when he heard the crying. Summoning some wind, he flew above the landscape until he saw a gray cloak blowing in the wind. Jack landed next to the speck. A small child was digging at the snow.

"Mommy!" the child cried.

"Oh man," Jack said, landing next to them. "I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was out here."

Jack twirled his staff and a strong gust of wind blew the snow off the woman. Jack helped pull her out, but it was obvious she was freezing. Her body was so cold … Jack couldn't tell if she was breathing. He quickly tore off his cloak to cover the woman and made an ice wall around them to keep out the wind.

The child stared at him in horror.

Jack quickly pulled out his wand and cast a spell to make a fire.

"What are you doing out her in the middle of nowhere?" Jack asked.

"We … we're looking for the magic place. Santa Claus."

"Santoff Claussen?" Jack guessed.

"Yes. That's where mommy said," the child sniffled, curling up to his mother.

Jack looked out into the wilderness. He'd made quite the storm. It would be hard for anyone to find anything in this. He had to make it right.

Suddenly, he started flying. He'd felt this way before, when Nightlight took over his body. Nightlight knew where Santoff Claussen was. Nightlight could guide him.

Jack didn't see the town, even after Nightlight landed him in front of a giant oak tree. But since Nightlight was no longer taking charge, this must be the place.

"HELP!" Jack cried out. Several doors opened. Doors that came out of nature. The tree bark, the mushrooms … all of it opened up to admit several people. But from the biggest tree came someone Jack knew. Headmaster Ombric.

"Jack?" he questioned.

"There's a woman, she's freezing, it's my fault," Jack explained as quickly as possible. "Help."

"Of course," Ombric rushed out of his house. Professor Katherine appeared beside them, flying on her goose. Jack took them to the child and his mother, still encased in an ice shelter.

Ombric quickly checked over the woman while Katherine handled the crying child.

"She's dead," Ombric pronounced.

Jack's heart fell. The purebloods were right. The Muggles were right. His friends were right. He was a danger to people. He'd killed someone. And unlike Merida's brothers, there was no way to spin this as anyone else's fault. Without waiting for any judgment from the Guardians, Jack twirled his staff and flew off, trying to hold everything in as he went.


	15. Jack's Choice

The horrid little fairies stabbed at Flynn as he tapped his medallion on the side of the mountain. Where was that door? He felt around, worried that he'd be trapped in this valley, pecked to death by trillions of sharp beaks. Was that better or worse than the death by a thousand cuts the Baron once promised him?

Just as all hope seemed lost, the granite cracked. Flynn pushed with all his might and dashed out as soon as the opening allowed it. He slammed the crevice shut once he was on the other side. He would have thought that stopped the fairies. Nope. They phased right through the wall.

"What kind of monsters are you?" Flynn demanded as he started to run.

He raced down the mountain. His feet skidded across the wet rocks as he tumbled down the path. He didn't see the Stabbington brothers or Cassandra and her father. He didn't care. He focused entirely on outpacing the fairy-birds, a task easier said than done.

He was sure his skin was pockmarked and red from the jabs. So much for a perfect complexion. The fairies showed no signs of stopping. He was getting tired. This was one adventure even The Great Flynnigan Rider might not be able to survive.

Then, just as all hope seemed lost, a flake of snow landed on his nose.

Flynn paused to look up at the rapidly growing clouds. Not that a snowstorm was out of the ordinary at this time of year or at this altitude, but it hadn't been too cold on the mountain. Maybe fairy magic kept the palace temperate.

A sharp beak stabbed him in the arm. Flynn kept running. The wind picked up, swirling the snow around in white tufts. The fairies finally slowed, having trouble fighting the wind. Flynn looked back to laugh at them as they blew away in the storm.

"HA! You should see the looks on your faces!" he taunted. He turned without looking and his foot slipped out from under him. He slid on the ice, going down, over the side of the mountain.

He let out a scream as he felt himself plummet to his death. Suddenly a gust of wind blew him back to the safety of the ledge. He didn't believe it. He'd survived. How?

Flynn blinked. Floating in front of him was Jack Frost.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, his blue eyes growing wide. Wait. Blue? Hadn't they been brown the last time Flynn saw him? Flynn shook it off. Maybe Jack knew a spell to change the colors of his eyes. Flynn never made it past fifth year, but Jack would be in his seventh, assuming he hadn't been held back since the last time Flynn saw him, two years ago.

"Jack?" Flynn asked in disbelief. "What are you doing here? We're a long way off from Europe."

Jack opened his mouth then closed it again. He took a step back. Flynn hadn't seen Jack look this upset ... ever. Not even when Pitch and the other Slytherins were tormenting him.

"I shouldn't be here. I'm sorry," Jack said, about to take off. He paused at the edge. "Are you still looking for Rapunzel's teeth?"

Flynn thought about the tooth case secured in his pouch. Should he give it to Jack? Jack had wanted it in the first place. Jack told him to get it. But if Jack had wanted to use it, why send Flynn? Why hadn't the boy come here himself? And what about what he heard Rapunzel, Gothel and the Tooth Fairy discussing? They had pulled Jack's memory out with theirs, but they hadn't brought him with them. Flynn decided on a safe answer.

"I've got a pretty good lead on where they are. I suppose you'll want me to give them to you, so that you can go help the princess, and then she'll be so grateful to you that she will marry you."

Rather than laugh as Flynn expected, Jack's brown eyes grew sadder. Wait, were they back to brown?

"I can't go to her. Or to anyone," Jack whispered. He closed his eyes with a pained expression. The wind turned colder. "Rapunzel's gone into hiding. I'm her secret keeper."

Flynn was a little surprised. As far as he knew, the princess was already in hiding, except for school. But he supposed things changed. That explained some of what he'd overheard. Jack didn't wait for Flynn to ask him questions.

"But I can't be anymore," Jack said bitterly. "She'll need people who won't hurt her. People like you. Her tower is in a glen in Corona, a few leagues south of the middle inlet. Please don't betray her. Like I did."

"Wait, what?" Flynn asked. He wasn't sure what Jack meant. What inlet? He knew some roads in Corona, but not in so much detail. But Jack was gone, leaving behind only snow. At least the fairies were gone.

* * *

Peter, the Muggle refugee, pushed the door open and gazed out on the freshly fallen snow. Not a footprint in sight. Good. Everyone else in the village was still inside. Peter walked down to the large pile of sticks the wizards and witches of Godric's Hollow had gathered. He took a bundle from the top and started the trek back to his house.

"Why don't you levitate it, useless," a gravely old voice said. Peter cringed as he turned to face old Mrs. Cornelia White **.**

"You know I can't," Peter said bitterly, dragging the heavy load. As he tried to pull the logs, they seemed to grow heavier. A quick glance at the cruel smile on Mrs. White's face and the wand in her hand revealed the source. Peter let go of the bundle and turned to her.

"I know you don't like me, but do you have to make this harder?" Peter demanded. Mrs. White's eyes narrowed.

"You ought to leave the wood for those who need it, Muggle filth."

Peter grimaced, "Muggles need wood more than you. Or can't you make the blue fire, like my mother can?"

"Foolish boy," Mrs. White snapped. "The Bluebell fires are not good for long term use. If you attempt to use them for more than an hour, they start to take their heat from the caster."

"At least you have it that hour. If Mom leaves, we freeze."

"Then go back to your own kind," she sneered. "This is a wizard settlement. For wizards and witches only! There are plenty of Muggle villages for you to be a burden on."

"I'm not a burden," Peter whispered as he went back to his bundle of logs. Struggling, he managed to get them into the house, where his mother and siblings were waiting. His mother smiled and took the bundle, not noticing the extra weight. Maybe the spell had worn off. Peter sat on his mat and pulled his knees up to his chest. Not all witches were like Mrs. White. He had to remember that.

* * *

Jack crash landed in Antarctica, throwing his staff across the ice and wrapping his arms around his knees. He killed someone. He couldn't believe it. How?

A storm started to grow around him. Even without his staff he was powerful. He willed the storm to calm down. He couldn't lose control. Not again.

Mother Nature was right. He must have caused the storm at Hogwarts. He let out a scream of anguish. At least he'd saved Flynn from falling. And told him of Rapunzel. Now Jack could live in exile without worrying about her.

He fought the pain as he thought of all the friends, all the family, even all the enemies he would never see again. All because he was too dangerous to be around people.

"Poor Jack," a dark voice said. Jack stopped suddenly, his heart frozen. Dark shadows closed in around him. He looked for his staff, but couldn't spot it.

"Get it over with," Jack said miserably, closing his eyes. He knew Pitch had been after him for a long time.

"My dear boy, I'm going to help you," Pitch said, taking on a solid form. He held out Jack's staff. Jack didn't take it. He looked suspiciously at Pitch Black's malevolent eyes.

The older man gave him a grin, "He's dead, you know."

"What?" Jack asked. It was a woman he'd just killed. Her son had been alive, and in Katherine's care.

"The prince. Merida's brother. Hamish, I believe."

"No!" Jack said, falling in on himself. He couldn't have … two dead in one day. Because of him. The snow started again. Jack couldn't help it.

"And Berk is gone."

"NO!"

"Yes," Pitch said, giving a wicked grin. "When the king saw the body of his son, he razed the whole Archipelago. All the people. All the dragons. All gone. All because of you."

"I didn't … I didn't mean to," Jack wailed, a small flurry forming around him.

"And now look at what you're doing," Pitch said. "You're going to cause another ice age. People will blame it on wizards and witches. They will all be hunted down. Anyone who has ever shown kindness to one of _your kind_ will be killed. But I can help."

"What can you do?" Jack asked, sinking to his knees, all hope for a lonely life in exile gone.

"The Guardians are not the only ones who can lock your power in a staff, Jack. I can lock your power deep, deep within you. So deep that you would never be able to hurt anyone again."

"By turning me into one of your _fearling_ slaves?" Jack guessed.

"If you'd been any other, yes. But I don't have that fate in mind for you. No. I would only turn you into a Muggle. A nice, healthy Muggle. You could go back to your family. Go live with your mother and sister. Didn't the villagers say you could come back if you were normal?"

"And why would you help me?" Jack questioned. "You've never gone out of your way to help before. Only to hurt."

"Come, Jack, you must know that you are in my way," Pitch said. "You've stopped my plans just one too many times. I could, of course, kill you here. But then your friends, when they get over grieving the people you've killed, might try to avenge you. You'd just be a martyr. No. I'd rather send you home powerless than kill you. Besides, then you'd be there to save your sister."

Jack looked up at Pitch. Pitch held out his hand. Jack looked at the wasteland around him. Live here in exile, die here, or go home and live with his sister, making sure the darkness never reached her? It wasn't much of a choice. He reached out and took Pitch's hand.

Jack screamed as he felt the biting cold in his arms and legs. He'd never felt this cold as a normal person.

Jack doubled over from the chill, shivering violently. No wonder that woman had died. Did Jack make her feel like this? This stinging, burning, biting cold was awful. He couldn't breath as the cold settled in his bones. He was dying ... just like all his victims did.

Pitch threw a robe of darkness over Jack. Jack tumbled down and rolled out in a much warmer, but still cold, area of grass. He could breath again. His skin no longer felt like it was on fire. He looked up to see his cottage. He was home.

* * *

Once he was sure that Merida was okay, Hiccup went to Toothless.

"I know you flew a long way last night," Hiccup said, brushing the dragon's scales. "I hadn't intended to go home for Snoggletog break this year. I thought I'd spend it here, helping the refugees escape. But something's come up. We have to go back to Berk."

Hiccup didn't know if Toothless could understand human speech or not, but the dragon seemed to understand how grave it was. Hiccup swung his leg over Toothless and they took off, flying away from Hogwarts, away from Scotland.

During the long flight, Hiccup couldn't help but feel like a failure. His first official treaty could now be used as a declaration of war. Harris didn't look good when Hiccup left him. The boy might not make it. And what would happen then? The king would blame Berk, obviously. Even though Berk, and Hiccup, had nothing to do with the accident. It would be the natural choice to blame your enemy for your family's pain. Stoick used to blame all dragons for Valka's death. If Toothless hadn't saved Hiccup's life, he still might.

If only people were as easy to understand as dragons, then Hiccup would be in luck.

Hiccup reached the Archipelago just as dawn was breaking. He was careful to stay away from Outcast and Berserker Island. Even when they weren't fighting, it was best not to cross either's path.

As he was over what he thought was a friendly island he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He pulled Toothless to a halt, but it was too late. A weighted net encircled the two of them. They went down.

"You okay, bud? Didn't lose another tail?" Hiccup questioned as he struggled in the net, wishing he had some way to free them. He hardly ever carried his dagger, and with his arms tangled in the net he'd never be able to get to his wand.

"Well, what do we have here?" a female voice said from the trees. Hiccup couldn't see them through the dark mesh of the net, but it didn't take long to feel the women grabbing his arms, pinning them behind his back.

Thick ropes cut into his wrists. A feeling he was getting all too familiar with.

"A dragon?" one of the women said as she cut the net off of them. Hiccup blinked in the sunlight as the warrior women pulled the net off of him.

Two women held Hiccup. Another four were wrestling with Toothless.

"Let me go and I'll calm him," Hiccup said. "Don't hurt him!"

"Don't worry, Haddock," a familiar voice, sounding very pleased with herself, said, "we're not gonna hurt the dragon. But we can't quite let you go."

Hiccup looked up at a small girl, only a year younger than him, but with very, very, tangly hair.

"Good to see you again, Camicazi," Hiccup said with a smile, "but why can't you let me go?"

Hiccup turned as much as the women would allow and gave Toothless the signal to calm down. The dragon obeyed. The women put a muzzle on him.

"Is that really necessary?" Hiccup asked.

"I know your dragon is well trained," Camicazi said, "but I've been working really hard in my village to stop the spread of fear. It makes the people feel better if the dragons can't bite or shoot fire at them. But don't worry. It's just the muzzle. We're not gonna chain him up or anything. He's free to come and go as he pleases."

"And me?" Hiccup said, tugging on his arms.

Camicazi looked down at her feet, "You're out of my jurisdiction. You'll have to speak with my mom about that."

"But why? You - your people, I mean,- shot me down. I was on my way home. I have to warn my father, there could be war-"

Camicazi rubbed the back of her head and looked away, "There kind of already is."

"What?"

"Do you remember a few years ago when I led the charge against Ice Elves?"

"Yeah. Jack told me about that."

"Right." Camicazi gave a nervous chuckle. "The thing is ... it's a lot harder to calm people down than it is to get them worked up."

"You couldn't do it?"

"Well, I sort of did it," Camicazi said, plopping down next to him. "It took a while, but I eventually convinced everyone that Ice Elves pose no threat. Unless provoked."

"That's good news, then."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Camicazi said. "Until we got attacked."

"Oh no. By an elf?"

"No. Pretty sure the guy was Scottish," Camicazi said. "I remembered the flag from my time at Hogwarts. Remember, I spent several weekends with Princess Merida."

Hiccup gritted his teeth, "I'm doing my best to stop them."

"I know. Mother wanted to declare war on Muggles right away, but I remembered how hard it was to stop after I said the same things about Ice Elves. I kept her from attacking anyone but I had to agree to defend our island. Since you crossed over our airspace, Mom'll want to question you. Make sure you aren't in league with the enemy and all. I'm sure you'll be fine. But rules are rules. Don't worry. If things go bad, I'll help you escape."

Camicazi's tribes' women pushed him forward. Hiccup went along with it, but in his heart he wondered. His presence in Scotland, the actions Berk took on his behalf, and the fact that he'd been the forerunner for many of the peace discussions ... if Scotland attacked the Archipelago now ... it might very well be his fault.

* * *

As soon as he got back to Castle DunBroch after meeting Merida, King Fergus went to see his wife. The queen stood over the boys' beds, tucking imaginary children in. Fergus hesitated at the door.

"M'darlin?" Fergus said. The queen stood up straight and turned to him.

"Oh, Fergus I was just-"

"I know ... I know, dear," he murmured. He paused, then said, "I've seen Merida."

The queen's eyes lit up at the mention. Fergus looked down at his foot.

"Is she ... will she be home?" the queen asked. Fergus knew what her real question was. Had Merida been apprehended.

"She says she will," Fergus said. "And the boys."

"They're alright, then?"

"Aye," Fergus grumbled, "but you taught her negotiation too well. She'll not come back unless we cease the war on witches, and free the ones we've got."

A tear slipped down the queen's pale face. Her hair had been grayin' recently. More so now that the boys were gone. Fergus put his arm on her shoulder.

"I've agreed to Merida's terms," Fergus said. Instantly, the queen perked up. He knew that's what she wanted. He wanted his boys back, too. But he quickly took a step back from his wife, "She may be getting her way this time, but once we get her back, there'll be consequences."

"I know," the queen whispered. Fergus handed her the copy of the treaty he'd brought and left the queen to read over the terms and help him come up with ways of fulfilling them. They could do this. They would have a family again.

* * *

Emma woke before mother. She pushed herself out of bed and went to stoke the fire. Mother usually did it, ensuring that the family would wake to a warm house, but now that she was eleven, she needed to start managing things. Papa was very insistent that she give up all the foolish ideas of going to school. The only future for her would be to marry, then tend to her own household.

Mother and father were fighting over the prospect of that marriage. They both agreed, at this point, that she was too young, but Papa felt that more effort should be put into preparing her for an eventual marriage. Mother thought it was all unnecessary. She hadn't been betrothed at such an early age. Nobody asked Emma what she thought. If they had, she would have told them that she was too young to think of that yet. Jack often told her stories about his friends. Even the princesses weren't betrothed. Nor were they working on becoming betrothed. So why should she be?

Still, Mother had lost the argument when Papa pointed out that there was no harm in Emma _learning_ things she would need to know as a wife. So Emma was to tend the house, including being the first one up.

As she started to prepare a simple breakfast, the newly started fire made a loud pop. Emma raced to it, blowing on the embers to keep the flames from going out. She grabbed the last log from the pile and threw it in the fire. It wouldn't last long. Taking off her apron, Emma went out to get more wood. As she reached the stump where they chopped logs into firewood, she caught her breath.

Sleeping just beyond the pile of wood was her brother, brown hair and all.

* * *

Cassandra woke to a wet snout in her face. Looking up, she saw Maximus and Fidella. Smart horses. They'd found their people.

"I'll get that Rider someday," Cassandra swore as she pushed herself up and limped to the emergency kit in the saddlebags. Max whinnied in agreement.

"I still don't understand," the captain said, wincing as she cleaned off his wounds. "How did he overpower you?"

"He didn't, Dad. He didn't. He said …" Cassandra closed her eyes and tried to think. They'd been looking for something. Something to do with a secret. The missing princess of Corona. Princess Rapunzel. But something about the story seemed fuzzy.

Dismissing the inconsistencies, she went on, "He said he could find out who kidnapped Princess Rapunzel."

The captain's eyes snapped open, "He did?"

She knelt back from him and sighed, "I'm such a fool."

The Captain of the Guard rubbed his temple, "Did I hit my head?"

"Not that I saw," Cassandra said, she felt his forehead, but it didn't feel feverish.

"My orders … " the Captain said. "I can't remember them. Something to do with finding the lost princess. But that doesn't make any sense. We don't have any new clues as to her whereabouts. She's been missing since she was a baby. Why would the king suddenly want me to hold everything and find her?"

"Who knows what the king wanted? And I'm sorry, Dad." She leaned on his shoulder and let a few tears slip, "I never should have trusted that thief. He was lying to me from the start. He just wanted a royal escort past all the borders until he could make a proper getaway here. Probably had that ambush set up from the beginning."

"It's okay, Cass." Her father kissed her forehead, "I love you. But I don't think you should stray too far from the palace anymore. You should join the ladies in waiting."

Cassandra's face flushed. She loved hunting down criminals. Riding like the wind with a sword in her hand. She wanted to be the Captain of the Guard someday, like her dad. She hated to disappoint him. But if there was one thing she understood, it was rank. He wasn't reassigning her as her father. He was reassigning her as her captain. She had no choice but to follow the orders. But she would remember that Flynn Rider was behind her disgrace. He would pay for it, someday.

* * *

Jack woke up cold, which surprised him because he could hear the crackling of a fire and feel the itchy wool blanket. Then he remembered. He'd given up his power. He was a Muggle. No Ice Elf powers. He felt things like a normal human now. And a normal human would be cold under a threadbare blanket in a leaky cabin. Jack didn't mind. He liked the feeling of being cold. It made him feel alive.

A slow smile spread across his face as he pushed himself up. Across the room, he saw his mother and sister, stooping over the fire. John sat at the table, puffing a pipe.

"Jack?" his mother said, straightening up. "How are you feeling?"

"Great, Mom," Jack said, getting out of bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, accidentally knocking a lock in front of his eyes. He paused. His hair was brown. Just like his sister's. He looked at his arms. They seemed more tan than usual.

"So ... are you mortal now?" John asked.

Jack chuckled, "I'm pretty sure I was always mortal. But I think I am a Muggle. Let me see."

Jack reached into his vest and pulled out his wand. He aimed it at the table, " _Wingardium leviosa_!"

Nothing happened. The table stayed solidly on the ground. Jack started to giggle, then it turned into a chuckle, and then a hearty laugh. His sister joined him. Even his parents smiled.

"I'm a Muggle!" Jack shouted, jumping up. He almost fell over as he landed. His body seemed heavier now, he had no control over the wind. Once Jack caught his breath, he turned to his mother, "Can I go outside and play?"

His Mother and John looked at each other. Slowly, they nodded.

"But be careful," Mother instructed as Jack reached for his cloak.

"Can I go play, too?" Emma begged.

"Alright," John consented, "as long as you're back before supper."

"Yay!" Emma screeched. Jack took his sister's hand and they went outside. There was no snow on the ground, and Emma didn't seem to find it cold at all. Jack couldn't stop rubbing his arms.

"Aren't you cold?" Jack asked, noticing that she hadn't taken her cloak.

"No," Emma said. "It seems kind of warm for being this close to Christmas, doesn't it?"

It felt cold to Jack, but that was probably just because he wasn't used to experiencing things as a Muggle. Emma began to chatter on about what she was going to do for Christmas, bringing feelings of regret to Jack. In his rush to leave Hogwarts, he hadn't brought his trunk with his gift for Emma. He supposed those skates were lost to Hogwarts now. He didn't suppose any of the Slytherins would think of sending his things back to him. Nor would any of his friends realize that he'd gone home. If they were still his friends. They probably hated him now. He didn't blame them ... after what he'd done ...

Jack pushed away the sadness as Emma squealed, "It appeared! I saw it!"

Jack looked up. Fading into view, right in front of them, was his trunk. A note was pinned to it. Jack took the note.

 _Good choice._

 _-Mother Nature_

Mother Nature was watching. Mother Nature was always watching. She knew what he'd done. She approved. Was that good or bad? Jack forced a smile. He'd already done it. No going back. No point in being sad about it. Now that he had no power, he could never hurt anyone again. He would love each day. Each minute. With his sister and with his family. Hopefully by the time Christmas came, the lake would be cold enough for Emma to use her gift.


	16. Shattered Plans

"I am not your enemy," Hiccup pleaded in the dark hut.

"Ha. The only good Hooligan is a dead Hooligan," Big Boobied Bertha sneered. "I'll not be attacked again."

"Then let me go," Hiccup demanded. "I'm trying to stop the Scots. They don't want this fight any more than we do."

"The best defense is offense!" Bertha said, punching the table.

"No it's not," Hiccup replied firmly. "That's what the Scots are trying. They felt threatened, they attacked. It didn't make you back off. It made you gear up. And if they hit any other island in the Archipelago, I'm guessing they got the same results."

"If we get all the tribes of the Archipelago together, we can wipe them off the map."

"NO!" Hiccup said. "The Scots are just ... just scared. They're scared of wizards and witches. ...I know what it's like to be afraid. But we can't give in to the fear, and they don't deserve to be decimated any more than we do."

"So what would you do?" Camicazi asked, hanging upside down from the rafters. "'Cause I gotta tell you, I'm tired of defending my island. I wanna have fun again."

Hiccup thought for a moment. Slowly, an idea came to him.

"In Scotland ... wizardry is outlawed."

"Barbarians," Bertha muttered.

"I know ... I know," Hiccup said, "but that means no one in the Scottish army will be able to cast spells. We don't need to fight like Vikings ... the Scottish know how to fight Vikings. We need to fight like wizards. Call for a Thing. I have an idea. But, we'll need all the tribes in the Archipelago to agree to it."

"Ooh! Hiccup has good ideas, Mother," Camicazi interjected. "You can trust him."

After some badgering, Bertha agreed to call for the Thing, and Camicazi showed Hiccup to a guest hut. He wasn't sure if he was a prisoner or not, but since the Hooligans would come for the Thing as well as all the other tribes, he didn't much care. He could warn them all when they got there. Maybe they could save both the Archipelago and Scotland.

* * *

Rapunzel paced around the tower, "So … if I went back and pretended to be Rebecca?"

"No," Gothel said. "People will remember Rebecca as normal. No matter how you braid your hair, there's no way to make it look normal."

"No way?" Rapunzel asked, bunching up the hair. "Are you sure?"

"Mother knows best. Listen to your mummy," Gothel said. "All this hiding will be ruined if you go around flaunting yourself."

"But, Mother! Tooth said I could come back with a new identity."

Gothel's eye twitched before she laughed, "Oh my dear, she doesn't know you like I do. She doesn't know how much you could screw this up. Trust me, you'd be a failure. And if you wasted that big memory charm … she'd throw you to the wolves. You'd be eaten alive. And all because you couldn't do one simple thing. One thing. You'd throw away everyone's hard work to keep you safe. But fine, if you're so sure."

"No! No, Mother!" Rapunzel said. "I'll stay. I won't go back to school!"

Gothel smiled and patted her on the head.

"But what about my friends?" Rapunzel asked.

"Oh, dear, they won't remember you. They won't worry about you. They don't care about you. Only I care about you."

"Jack remembers," Rapunzel said as Gothel picked up the hairbrush.

"Yes," Gothel agreed. "But we don't need to worry about him."

Gothel started to brush her hair. Rapunzel knew the drill. She sang her song and Mother Gothel grew younger.

After she was finished, she cocked her head.

"What did you mean? I don't need to worry about Jack?"

Gothel's hands froze. After a moment, she started to brush the hair again, "Only that Jack won't talk about you. I sent him an owl telling him about our plan. He won't be surprised when his friends don't remember you."

Mother continued to brush the hair, though it didn't need it. Rapunzel sighed and looked out the window. She felt awful.

Erasing the world's memory of her was supposed to let her walk free without being hounded by dozens of people. It wasn't supposed to result in being locked up in the tower once again. After a bit, Gothel had Rapunzel let down her hair so she could go to the village for supplies.

Rapunzel sat by her window, Pascal her only companion as she waited, wondering when will her life begin.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want me to make you shoes?" John asked as Jack got dressed.

"I've gone this long without them. No point in starting now," Jack said. If his sister didn't think it was cold, he wasn't going to worry about it. His body would just have to adjust to these temperatures.

Already, it seemed to be working. Jack hardly shivered as he and his family strode down the path to the center of Burgess. The villagers were waiting. Jack tried to keep an impartial expression as he climbed onto a platform in the center of the town square. The pastor soon began to circle him, occasionally touching or pinching him. After several long minutes, the pastor stepped back.

"He is free of his plague!" the pastor announced. Everyone cheered. Jack's step-father slapped him on the back. Jack held in a retort about it being a plague. He'd killed at least two people. Maybe it was a plague.

Whatever it was ... he was free from it now. He needed to concentrate on the fun side of life.

John peeled off to repair someone's table soon after the ceremony. On the way home, some of the children from the village followed him. Jack went to cover his hair, until he remembered it was brown. The kids were here to play, not torment him.

Jack never passed up an opportunity for a game. He quickly ran ahead, slightly dancing while his sister clapped. His mother shook her head slightly.

"Come on, Jack, you can't have fun all the time."

But for the next two weeks, it seemed he could. He danced. He laughed. He told funny stories. He climbed the trees and entertained the children with silly faces, making them laugh and cheer, while his sister called to him, "Jack, get down from there!"

At night, by the light and warmth of a fire, he did impressions of animals, making shadows on the wall to entertain everyone. They called him funny instead of wicked. They laughed instead of screamed. Jack thought this must be close to heaven. He didn't regret his choice at all.

* * *

Merida clasped Harris's hand close to her heart.

Hamish and Hubert came and tugged on her skirt.

"Will he be okay?" Hamish asked. Merida put her arm around him and kissed his head.

"I hope so," Merida said. She and her brothers remained vigilant at Harris's side. Hubert and Hamish, as well as the Slytherin girl, had all made a full recovery. But Harris refused to wake.

Eventually, the sun set and the healthy boys curled up. Merida tucked them into a spare bed before returning to Harris.

"You should sleep, my princess," the nurse said, as she performed the spell to keep Harris fed as he slept on. "The boy won't wake just by you staring at him."

Merida's shoulders sagged, "What else can I do? Send me for something. A rare plant. Water. A cure. Isn't there anything?"

"No, my child," the nurse said, shaking her head. "The boy just has to ride this out. All we can do is pray."

"That's not enough," Merida snapped. A memory tugged in the back of her mind, but she couldn't quite place it. Hadn't she once known someone good at healing? She couldn't remember.

The nurse continued to sweep and Merida moved towards the window. High above the clouds the full moon shone down on her. A beam of light darted around her. It seemed to be saying something, but Merida didn't speak moonbeam.

"Please help my brother," she whispered, "if there's a way. Help Harris recover. Save my kingdom. I'll do anything."

The moon was silent. Merida turned away and resumed her post. Staring at his unconscious body might not do anything to help the boy, but at least it would let Merida know if - no, when - he was on the mend. She had to hope.

* * *

Flynn finally came to rest at the base of the mountain, panting heavily. How had he made it that far? He had no clue. Feeling safe for the first time in weeks, he rested by a tree.

After a few minutes of sitting there, he laughed. He'd done it. He'd done everything. He'd stolen Princess Rapunzel's teeth. He'd escaped from the royal guard, the Tooth Fairies, and the Stabbington brothers. The only thing he hadn't done was leave the medallion in Tooth Palace. But he didn't feel too bad about that. It wouldn't be the first time he betrayed Pitch Black, and at least this time he could claim that the fairies drove him off before he got the chance.

Flynn chucked the medallion behind a fallen tree and reevaluated what he wanted. For so long his goal was to get the teeth. Now he had them.

But what had Jack meant when he met him on the mountain, telling him where Rapunzel was? He'd just seen her in the Tooth Palace.

He took out the two tooth boxes. The small fairy had indicated that he should put his hand on it. Would it work on someone else's memory?

He was about to put his hand on Rapunzel's when a glowing light came down. He suddenly felt sleepy. Very sleepy. Leaning against the tree, he closed his eyes and found himself back in Tooth Palace.

Professor Toothiana fluttered in front of him, though she didn't seem angry he'd stolen his teeth. She smiled.

"There are two ways to activate the memories," she said. "If you touch the box like my fairies showed you, the person whose teeth they are will remember. But if you put the tooth box up to your forehead, it works more like a Pensieve, allowing you to witness the memory without affecting the owner of the teeth."

Flynn woke up. He looked around, but only the moonlight shown back. Was that a dream, or was it real? Flynn put away Rapunzel's teeth and took out his own. He touched them as the fairy indicated.

Instantly, his life flashed before his eyes. The orphanage, the Hogwarts acceptance letter, the bullies. All the way up through his expulsion, and crimes, until he was at the present. It wasn't every memory, but they all seemed to be related to his current quest. Memories of his plan to get the king and queen of Corona's attention. Memories of the few times he'd met Rapunzel. It all fit.

Flynn put his box away. He didn't want to mess with Rapunzel's memories, but he did want to know why they were so important, and why Jack had told him of her location.

He put her box up to his head.

He expected to see bits and pieces of the princess's life from her perspective, as he'd seen his life. But Tooth was right, it felt more like a dip in a Pensieve.

He was in the royal palace. Across the room there was crib. A cloaked figure leaned over it. As her fingers closed around the child in the crib, there was a loud crying. The king and queen ran past Flynn after the fleeing figure, but it was too late. She dived over the side of the building.

The memory changed. Flynn was in the throne room. Again, he found it strange as Rapunzel wasn't there. Only the king and queen pacing.

The doors were suddenly flung open. A woman - Gothel - appeared holding the infant. Guards at her side.

"We caught her," a much younger Captain of the Guard said. Flynn looked between him and Gothel. She didn't look as though she'd aged a day in the last seventeen years, but the Captain looked to be about the same age as Flynn here. Maybe it was because he was a Muggle?

"I didn't do anything," Gothel screeched, resisting as they tried to pry the baby from her arms. She finally consented to give up the child when the queen took her.

"Your Majesties," Gothel said. "I was on my way home from the market when I saw an old lady running away with a screaming child. I stepped out to confront her and she threw the child into the bay. Instead of chasing after her, I grabbed the child out of the sea where I was arrested by your men."

"She's telling the truth," the king declared. "Though I didn't get a good look, I saw the kidnapper. She was elderly."

The guards released Gothel and the parents turned away. But Gothel didn't leave.

"Your Majesty," Gothel said hesitantly.

"Oh, I suppose you'd like a reward. Very well. Guards, pay - "

"Please, no," Gothel said. "I merely wanted a word of warning."

Both parents paid attention to this. Gothel, the situation in her full control, stepped forward.

"You have a little witch there," Gothel proclaimed.

"We know," the Queen said. "We are pure-blood. Not that we wouldn't have loved her if she were a squib."

"The girl is more than not a squib, Your Majesties," the woman said. Flynn didn't hear the rest. The memory changed. It was later. Gothel and a toddler Rapunzel were alone in a tiny cabin.

A knock came at the door. Gothel let in the guard.

"The tower is constructed," he said.

"And the builders' minds have been obliterated?" Gothel demanded, putting down the bottle she'd been using to feed the child.

"Yes. Though I don't remember the King saying to do that," he said with a slightly puzzled expression.

"No matter," Gothel said. "So long as I am charged with rearing the princess, I will decide how best to hide the tower. Now go, and forget you know anything about it. I will let Rapunzel out when the time is right."

The memory skipped around a bit more. He saw Rapunzel at various ages, trying to leave her tower, each time to be stopped by Gothel. Gothel for her part, was a very confusing person to see. In most of the memories, she appeared to be quite young, as she had been in the first one, and when he'd seen her. But sometimes her hair was gray and her skin sagged. The aging didn't seem to go in the natural order of things.

He mostly ignored the bits of childhood, the memories, though in chronological order, appeared to be random. Memories of brushing teeth followed by witnessing Rapunzel burn herself while making candles. And her hair. It just got longer and longer.

Finally he got to memories he recognized. The feasts at Hogwarts, Memories of Jack Frost making her laugh. And even a memory of himself, the day they first met, which also happened to be the day he got expelled.

Flynn never minded breaking into other people's houses, but he drew the line at being in someone's brain. The memories seemed to realize he was uncomfortable with invading her privacy. Most of the memories he viewed were public ones, where she was in a crowd.

And then he got to the memory of her at Tooth Palace. Having seen it with his own eyes, he didn't feel like it was as much of an intrusion. However, it also didn't contain any information he didn't already know.

Then it went to the next memory. One that must have happened since he took the teeth.

Rapunzel was brushing her hair lazily by the window, the moon looking down on her. As he watched, she dropped her brush and fell asleep. He wondered why he was witnessing this. Suddenly, Rapunzel's head shot up.

"I need to go!" she called. Gothel appeared at the doorway of the kitchen.

"No. You know why you have to stay here."

"No," Rapunzel said, pacing. "I saw them. Merida's brothers are hurt."

Gothel's eyes narrowed, "How would you know?"

"I … I don't know." Rapunzel rubbed her head. "I saw it. They're hurt. I can help."

She fingered her hair.

Gothel sighed, "It was a dream. Nothing more."

"It felt so real," Rapunzel argued.

"That's what dreams feel like," Gothel said. "Now come to bed, my dear."

Rapunzel took a shaky breath, "No. I have to see if they're alright. I have to heal them."

Rapunzel threw her long hair out the window, over the hook, and grabbed onto the end. Gothel's eyes went wide, she jumped in front of Rapunzel, pulled her hair inside and closed the window.

"You are not to leave!" she proclaimed.

"But mother! What if they need me?" Rapunzel said. "I'll only go to check. I'll come right back."

"NO!" Gothel shouted. Her eyes narrowed, "Everything I've done, I've done to protect you."

Rapunzel took a step backward as Gothel advanced on her.

"But you keep making me the bad guy," Gothel snarled. "So fine. If you won't look out for yourself, I'll have to do it."

Gothel moved away from the window. Rapunzel opened the shutters and threw her hair out once more. She didn't get very far before Gothel tackled her.

Before Flynn could see what was happening, the scene changed. Rapunzel lay on her bed, sobbing. Around her limbs were chains. Gothel leaned on the door.

"I tried to warn you," the older woman spat, pulling Rapunzel's hair out the door. There was little Rapunzel could do to stop her. "But you had to make me the bad guy. If you behave, maybe I'll let you out after you've given up on these foolish ideas."

Gothel left, and Rapunzel sobbed louder. Flynn came back to the present.

He understood.

Jack had said she was trapped, kidnapped. The old woman who took her as a baby was Gothel. Flynn hadn't seen how she changed ages, but she must have some magic to do it. The king didn't know about it. He'd never seen Gothel or his daughter after she was kidnapped. He didn't know that Gothel had resorted to chains to keep the girl obedient. But Flynn had a feeling he would be happy to find out. But how to tell him?

He looked at the two memory boxes. When he reviewed his own memories, he remembered his initial plan. Steal the crown and bargain for an audience with the king. He abandoned the plan once he told Jack about Pitch. Maybe he should give it a try again. Back to Corona it was. Rapunzel would be saved.

* * *

Jack woke up with bright eyes on a winter's day. He looked out the window at the fresh snow covered landscape and smiled. This was the first day this winter that the snow had stuck. He might not be an Ice Elf anymore, but he still loved the season. He supposed that part would never go away.

"So, Jack, what are your plans today?" his mother asked as she laid out bacon for him.

Jack smiled and looked down at his bag. "If the lake is frozen, I thought Emma and I could try out our new skates?"

Emma's eyes lit up.

"Can I? Can I? Can I?" she begged.

Mother smiled and patted her hair, "Of course. But stay close to the house."

After breakfast, Emma put on her skates and sailed out the door, dragging Jack with her. He didn't even have time to put his own on.

"Be careful," his mother called. Jack chuckled.

"We will," he said.

Emma dragged him to the middle of the lake.

"Hey, I need to get my skates on," Jack said, trying to remember how shoes worked.

He sat down on the ice to figure it out while Emma practiced skating. Somehow, despite being new, the laces had become all tangled. He attempted to untangle them, but it only seemed to make the knots worse, getting caught in his fingers. Pulling and prying, he almost got the knot undone when he heard her scream.

Jack looked up in time to see a big black wolf stepping out onto the ice, looking at Emma.

"Get back to the house!" Jack shouted, as more wolves appeared, but Emma, in a panic, went the other way. Jack tried to shake the tangled skates off his hands as he ran after her on the ice. The wolves chased her past where the lake turned, until they were out of view of their cottage. Then, as quickly as they came, the wolves were gone. Jack and Emma were alone on the ice.

That was weird, Jack thought. He didn't know much about wolves, but that didn't seem like normal behavior.

"J... Jack," Emma said timidly. Her legs wobbled, and Jack saw why. The ice under her was cracking.

Jack's heart thumped in his chest. He looked down where the wolves had stood. Only black sand paw prints remained. One last scare. Well, Jack wouldn't let him have it.

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't look down, just look at me," Jack said, kneeling on the ice. The run had loosened up the laces on the skates, they fell off his hand, but he knew it was too late to put them on.

"Jack, I'm scared," Emma cried.

"I know, I know." Jack tried to step forward, but the ice cracked under his weight. "But you're gonna be alright. You're not gonna fall in. Uh, we're gonna have a little fun instead."

"No we're not," she wailed.

"Would I trick you?" Jack said. He had to keep her from being scared. It might bring the wolves back.

"Yes, you always play tricks!" Emma shouted. Jack winced. It was true.

"Well, alright, well not this time. I promise. I promise you're gonna be fine. You have to believe in me."

Emma nodded, Jack looked to the side and spotted his staff. How had it ended up here? Deciding he could worry about its miracle reappearance later, Jack tried to focus on his sister. "You wanna play a game? We're gonna play hopscotch. Like we play every day. It's as easy as One..."

He took a step towards the staff. The ice under his active foot crackled. Emma gasped in fear. He had to keep her from feeling fear. He wobbled wildly on the foot. The ice held as he made a silly sound, eliciting a laugh from Emma.

With a smile he went on, "Two..."

This time, the ice held solid and firm. This area was safe. If he could get Emma to this area, she'd be fine.

"Three!" Jack jumped to his staff, proving to Emma the ground was solid.

"Alright, now it's your turn," Jack instructed as he picked up the wooden stick. He didn't feel any rush of power. The wind didn't help carry Emma to him as he thought it might. But he had to keep up.

"One," he called. Emma took a step forward. "That's it, that's it."

"Two," he said. She slid forward a little more, but the ice cracked a little more. Jack reached out with his staff, hooking her around the middle, "Three!"

He pulled. She slid forward, onto the solid ice. He slid back. He had time to see her smiling face before the ice cracked.

As he plunged into the frigid water, he heard her scream his name. He took a breath, then all was dark.


	17. Truth and Lies

Emma watched, terrified, as her brother sank under the ice. She didn't know what to do. Should she run for mom and dad? Try to pull him out?

Before she could make up her mind, there was a growling. The wolves had returned.

Emma screamed but there was no one to help. Her brother was dead. The wolves slowly crept forward. She inched her way back to the middle of the lake, where the ice was thin. It cracked under her foot.

Fall in the ice or be eaten alive by the wolves? That was her choice. She started to cry in her terror. The ice cracked again. At least she'd be with Jack if she fell in. Before she could plunge into the lake, the ice fractured in the wrong direction, pushing up. She slid back onto the solid part as a cold white hand shot up.

Emma screamed. Emerging from the ice, with white hair and vivid blue eyes, was her brother. He seemed to glow in a pale blue light. The wolves whimpered and turned away. Emma sat petrified as the ice grew solid under his feet.

"J... Jack?" she asked hesitantly. The boy looked at her with cold eyes. She'd never seen that look in Jack.

"No," he said. "I am Nightlight."

It took Emma a few moments to recover her shock. The boy's face relaxed. He smiled, a smile that was not Jack's, "Sorry. I'm not used to controlling this body. Jack has always been in control before."

"Then … are you my brother?" she asked.

"I'm in his body. I am not certain if he is still here or not."

"That's too bad," a dark voice said. Nightlight scanned the trees. Out stepped the shadowman. Emma had never seen him before, but Jack told her enough stories, and she'd felt his dark presence.

Nightlight scowled. "We meet again, Kozmotis."

"An honor," Pitch said with a mocking bow. He reached out and seized Emma. She struggled but he was too strong.

Nightlight flickered and jumped forward, "NO!"

Emma recognized the tone as Jack's voice.

The boy flickered again, when he looked up, he held Nightlight's steady gaze.

"It would appear Jack is still in here somewhere," Nightlight pronounced.

Pitch smiled, his grip on Emma tightening. She clawed at his hands, trying to break the hold.

"Perfect," Pitch purred. "Now, if you'll come with me, I'd rather have the two of you than the girl. Unless you want Jack's sacrifice to be meaningless?"

Pitch held a black obsidian blade under Emma's throat. She couldn't help but whimper. Nightlight looked at her, his face occasionally flickering into the more familiar terrified face of Jack Frost. Nightlight finally nodded.

Pitch let go of Emma, shoving her onto the ice, before enveloping Jack/Nightlight in darkness, taking him away.

* * *

As Flynn reached the base of the mountain he slowed. He took a moment to rethink his life choices. He had to get to Corona. But how? He had no idea where he was, beyond "India." In his rush to get away from the pecking birds and freak snow storm, he hadn't noticed which direction he was going.

He looked up at the sky. The sun had set recently, and the stars were starting to come out. He knew a little about navigating by the stars, but they looked different this far south. Why hadn't he paid more attention in Astronomy?

Flynn closed his eyes and tried to think of the last lesson. It had been about shooting stars, and how they granted wishes ... Professor Lunanoff had said that if you have a problem, wish on a shooting star. A dream will come and point you in the right direction.

He patted his satchel. He knew where he needed to go. The question was ... how to get there. He didn't see any shooting stars in the twilight sky.

"Just pick a direction and go with it," Flynn chided himself. Starting off in what he hoped was a westerly direction, Flynn carried on his task.

For several hours he walked along, part of him being glad to be finally free, another part of him sad, and, dare he say it, missing Cassandra. It had been nice to be in the company of another witch, even if she was with law enforcement.

Flynn's feet began to tire around midnight. He spotted a glen and set up camp. Cassandra had confiscated his wand. No great loss, it barely worked. And who knows if the people here were friendly towards witches and wizards. Still, starting a fire by hand took a lot longer. Maybe he should steal a flint -

A twig cracked. Flynn looked up. Probably just a bird, or bunny.

Leaves crunched. Okay, bigger than a bird or bunny.

Holding his breath, Flynn wondered whether he needed to defend himself, or attempt to ask for directions. Finally the branches moved and he saw the by the green light of their lanterns: The Stabbington Brothers.

* * *

Jack felt like he was falling for hours before he finally slammed into the hard ground. Before he had a chance to recover, someone grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him up. He was thrown against thick black bars. He heard the metal of a cage door slam behind him.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, rubbing his temple. He had a massive headache. He only remembered bits and pieces. Seeing Emma smiling. Falling into frigid water. Then seeing her threatened by Pitch Black.

Pitch Black.

Jack jumped up, as far as the cage would allow, which amounted to a low crouch.

"Oh, you're Jack again, are you?" Pitch sneered.

"What's happened?" Jack asked.

"You died," Pitch said calmly.

"Died?" Jack choked. He remembered blacking out. Not dying. How could he have died? Was this hell?

"Yes. You died. And Nightlight took over your body, just as I expected."

Jack blinked, trying to rub out the pain in his head. Dying hurt.

"How do you know about Nightlight?" Jack asked.

Pitch sneered, "You can't spend several thousand years inside someone else and expect them not to have a connection to you."

"Uh …. "

"I can see he didn't share this little part of his life. I suppose I should tell you. After all, you'll be paying for it with him."

Jack twisted in the cage, trying to feel for any way out.

"Back during the Golden Age, when the Guardians lived among the planets and stars, I went after the Man in the Moon. I got his parents, but before I could take the child, Nightlight did what you did. He sacrificed himself to protect the brat. He plunged his dagger into my heart and we fell to earth. And there he remained. For a very, very, _very_ long time." Pitch spat. He hit the cage. From the way it went spinning, it must have been hanging from the ceiling.

Realizing he'd lost control, Pitch smoothed down his hair, "No matter. I got free. But all those years together formed a bond."

Jack clutched his stomach as the cage came to a stop. Pitch kept monologuing.

"I didn't know it at first, when you started to make trouble in school. But the more you challenged me, the more I started to recognize the feeling. I had to bring him to the surface. Even if it meant killing you. I convinced you to give up your powers, then drove you onto that lake. My daughter was helpful, keeping it warm enough that even your lighter bones would break through."

"You murdered me?" Jack asked, in shock, reeling back in the cage. "All for what? So you could confront Nightlight?

"My dear boy, confronting Nightlight was only a part of it. I'm going to make him pay for the years he held me trapped. Since you're a Guardian now, too, I suppose you'll be suffering along with him."

"I'm a Guardian?" Jack asked. But Pitch was done with talking. He disappeared, leaving Jack alone in the dark, with only creepy snarls and growls for company.

* * *

Pitch shadow traveled to be beside a wall of ivy. Rapunzel's tower should lie just beyond it, but due to the Fidelius charm, he couldn't sense it.

"It is done," Pitch said as Gothel appeared beside him.

"Jack is dead?" Gothel guessed.

"Yes," Pitch nodded. "Now, tell me her location."

"We live in the tower in the glen," Gothel stated. Pitch stepped through the ivy-covered wall and found himself in the glen. Good. Their plan had worked. Even though the Man in the Moon succeeded in making Jack a Guardian, the boy's death was official. Gothel and Rapunzel were the secret keepers now, and Gothel had shared the location with Pitch. He could slip into the tower to scare the girl anytime he needed to.

"She wants to go back to school," Gothel hissed. "I've had to chain her up to stop her running away."

"I can correct that," Pitch said.

"Can you?" Gothel asked suspiciously. "You had all that time at school to work on her, and yet she still wants to charge out."

"The girl is afraid," Pitch confirmed, feeling the tower. "My plan to scare her succeeded. But she is brave. She is willing to push past her fear to help her friends. I can fix that."

"If you're sure," Gothel said. "The sooner the better. I will keep her chained up if I have to, but it is so much easier if she just chooses not to leave."

"Let me scare her first. If it fails, I can give you a potion that will obliterate her memory. If she can't remember her friends, she won't want to rescue them."

Gothel pulled out the girl's wand and handed it to Pitch.

"Dispose of this, will you. She won't be needing it," Gothel sneered.

Pitch took the wand and left the glen. He didn't need to bother Rapunzel at the moment. As long as her hair stayed locked in the tower, it wouldn't stop his plans. And he would need a few props to scare her properly anyway.

He shadow traveled across the world, landing in India. The girl, Cassandra, and her father were slowly riding down one side of the mountain. Flynn and the Stabbington brothers circling around the other side. Pitch smirked at Flynn as he found his medallion, discard by the road.

Flynn Rider had never been a reliable pawn. Fortunately, Pitch had planned for that. Though he instructed the boy to leave the medallion, it wasn't really required. As long as Flynn brought the medallion into Tooth Palace, Pitch's spy would do the rest of the work. He could feel her now. His Night Mare, pawing around the golden teeth, hiding from the Tooth Fairy.

"Not yet, my pet, not yet," he thought. "Stay hiding until I am ready."

Now he could mess with people's memories anytime he wanted. Now, not only did fear rule the world, but he would be able to stop people from even remembering a time when fear didn't rule the world.

Feeling satisfied that his plan was working, Pitch dove back down to his lair. Nightlight crouched in the cage.

"Let the boy go," Nightlight demanded. "This is between you and me."

"My dear boy," Pitch sneered, "even if I had a way to separate you, I would never free him. It is true that I was drawn to Jack because you shared his body, but the boy has been a nuisance without your interference. And now that he's a Guardian, I most assuredly will not be releasing him. But perhaps I will take your idea. If I find a way to separate you, then I could ensure you can't protect him by keeping him asleep."

Nightlight glared at Pitch without saying a word. Pitch blew a pinch of black sand in the boy's face. Nightlight's sleep would now be filled with nightmares.

* * *

Rapunzel cried as she lay on her bed. How could things have turned sour so quickly? She dreamed of Merida's brothers. She dreamed they'd been hurt, that they were dying. She told mother she was leaving ...

"You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, now I'm the bad guy," Mother said. Rapunzel didn't know what was happening. Gothel hit her with a frying pan. Next thing she knew, she was lying in bed, her wrists chained to either side. At first, she thought bandits must have broken in ... or Mother was under some kind of spell, until Mother showed up in the doorway.

"Honestly, Rapunzel," Gothel said when Rapunzel asked to be let out. "I'm doing this for your own good. Mother knows best. You are not leaving this tower. Ever."

That was nearly a week ago now. Rapunzel sniffled. School would have started. Her friends might be missing her ... or they would be if she hadn't erased their memories. All but Jack's. He was her one hope. The one person in the whole world who knew where she was, though even he wouldn't guess what Mother was doing.

A shadow appeared at the door.

Rapunzel turned away as far as she was able. Mother would just leave the food on the table. Rapunzel would have to pull out what she could to feed Pascal. The little chameleon hid whenever Gothel was around. Rapunzel was grateful that at least she still had him, even if he couldn't find the keys or pick the lock on the chains. She didn't have to go through this alone.

"I am not your mother," a male voice said. Rapunzel whirled around as the shadow turned into Pitch Black.

"You- You're evil. MOTHER!" Rapunzel screamed, forgetting that Mother was the one who hurt her. Pitch smirked and advanced.

"Your mother is not coming," Pitch said. "I've taken care of her already."

Rapunzel trembled and crawled back on the bed as far as she could. Between herself and her friends, she'd had the least contact with the shadowman, but Jack's tales of terror stuck in her mind. Pitch waved his hand and a very familiar looking staff appeared.

"That's Jack's," Rapunzel said, recognizing the article. "Where is he? What did you do to him?"

Pitch grinned, "I gave the boy a taste of what he gave others. Your precious Jack lies frozen at the bottom of a lake. Just before he fell through the ice, he told me where your tower was."

"NO!"

"Yes," Pitch said. He handed her the staff. Rapunzel's lip trembled as her fingers stroked the dead wood. There was no mistake. It was Jack's.

"You ... you're lying," Rapunzel said, trying to hold back her tears. "Jack couldn't fall through ice. The ground freezes where he stands. And he would never betray me."

"And yet ... here I stand. Tell me, girl. Are you or aren't you under the Fidelius charm? Only a secret keeper can reveal the location of someone protected. And Jack was your secret keeper. I could not be here if he had not chosen to divulge your location."

Slowly, the tears started to fall from Rapunzel's eyes. She couldn't believe it. How could Jack do this to her? And how could he be dead? The tears spilled out in her confusion and pain.

* * *

"She's all yours," Pitch said as he left. Gothel put on her sad face and went in to find the crying Rapunzel.

"Oh, my dear!" Gothel said, rushing to undo the chains. "I'm so ... so sorry,"

"Mother?" Rapunzel asked, as though unaware where she was.

"It was that shadowman. He's been possessing me for days. He made me stop you."

"It was Pitch?" Rapunzel asked, still in a daze.

"Yes, my pet. He knew you could save the boy - Jack?"

"He said Jack betrayed me," Rapunzel asked dully.

"I'm afraid it's true," Gothel said. "That's the way the secret keeper works. Only the people the secret keeper told can find you. Since Pitch found you, Jack must have told him."

"But ... but he also said Jack was dead. He must have tortured it out of Jack ... and killed him in the process."

"No, no, my sweet," Gothel said, stroking Rapunzel's hair. "The spell is impervious to torture. Jack must have divulged it by choice. Besides, Pitch has known our location for days, or he could not have enchanted me. He said Jack died today, didn't he? Jack betrayed you, and possibly all your other friends, and then maybe he got sick of working with Pitch and double crossed him as well. You know those elves. Fickle things. Can't be trusted. You thought Jack was the exception, and I let you act on it. What have you learned?"

Rapunzel sniffed, "That Mother knows best. I will always listen to you, Mother."

"That's my girl," Mother Gothel. "I love you very much."

"I love you more."

"I love you most," Gothel said, tilting Rapunzel's head down to kiss her hair. "Now, why don't we forget this ordeal and have you sing for me?"

"Yes, Mother," Rapunzel sighed. Gothel hugged her fake daughter and smiled. Now the girl was all hers.

* * *

Gobber breathed in the night air as he stepped outside Castle DunBroch. Nearby, watching the prisoners leaving, stood the King.

"Remember," the King announced to the people as they shuffled out, "though I have signed magic back into law, it will be a while before all the shires respond to the new order. Already, some of the clans have been fighting me about the repeal."

The King shook his head. The people started to walk away. Not Gobber. He went right up to the King.

Two guards held out their spears, but Gobber stopped several feet back, out of their range.

"Well, looks like I'm heading home," Gobber said. "I'll be sure to tell the Chief of your hospitality. And don't worry 'bout yer kids. I'm sure they'll be home soon."

Gobber started to walk away. He paused and turned back, "And try not to go too hard on the little princess. She's just doing what she thinks is best."

Gobber didn't wait for the King to respond as he went to the boat. A few of the refugee families would be sailing with him to Berk, but most of them had chosen to remain in Scotland now that their existence was not against the law.

As soon as everyone was loaded onto the boat, Gobber pulled up the anchor and they set sail. He was halfway to Berk when a terrible terror landed on his oar.

The Scots nearby screamed and scrambled away from it.

"No need to worry. Just a terror mail," Gobber said pulling a piece of parchment off its leg. "Owls don't do well here in the Archipelago, and there are a lot of dragons on Berk. Just think of them like ponies or parrots."

He read the paper, "Ohh... looks like there's a Thing that's going on."

"What thing?"

"A Thing. A Viking meeting. Now that you're here, you're Vikings. So you're invited. Want a voice?"

"That stuff is for nobles," a woman said.

"Not in the Archipelago. We have chiefs, but no other nobles. And everyone can speak at a Thing, though most people do let the chiefs handle it. If you've an issue, you can bring it up at a Thing."

He could hear the people breathing in at the thought of having a choice in their future. He adjusted the course. Looks like they would be heading to the Bog Burglar Islands.

* * *

In Jack's dreams, Nightlight spoke to him.

"I'm sorry," Nightlight said.

"Was what Pitch said true?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Nightlight confirmed, "though he makes it sound like I was free all those years when he was trapped. The truth was, we were both prisoners. Once I plunged my knife into his heart, I became trapped in it. And when I was freed, so was he. We are connected. I am sorry that I dragged you into all this."

"He's bullied me since I was a first year. I guess now I know why."

Nightlight nodded.

"So what's he going to do?" Jack asked.

"If you're lucky, he'll reserve the worse tortures for when I am in control of our body."

"I don't get it. How can you be in control?"

"The plan was always for me to take over your body after you died. What we didn't count on was that you would have enough heroic merits of your own to keep your body after death. I thought you'd move on to the afterlife. Or at least become a ghost. I never expected you to choose guardianship."

"I didn't choose anything," Jack said.

"Sure you did," Nightlight said. "No one ever remembers, I suppose. I felt you die. You left when your body hit the icy water and you instinctively took a deep breath. You drowned. Your spirit left, and I took over. I got out of the ice in time to save your sister, and then Pitch came to us. When he threatened her, you came back. We've been fighting for control ever since."

"That's the source of my headaches, I guess."

Nightlight nodded again.

"So … I guess the body is yours now," Jack said sullenly. "You've been waiting for it a long time."

"No, Jack," Nightlight said. "I never meant to take it from you while you were still using it. I will take over for now, if you let me, but only to face Pitch Black's wrath. After all, it's me he hates, not you."

Jack doubted that, but learning he was dead did take quite a bit out of him. He didn't mind letting Nightlight take over. At least for a while. He needed some rest.


	18. The Thing

Hiccup put his telescope down when he saw the sails on the horizon. The Thing was officially starting.

"They'll be here soon," Hiccup said to Toothless. The dragon nuzzled him. Hiccup petted Toothless. He hated that his dragon had to wear the muzzle, but the Bog Burglars wouldn't budge. No dragon bites or fire blasts on their island. Despite his feelings, Hiccup knew enough about politics to know that he would need the Bog Burglars as allies, which meant doing things their way. At least he could take it off when he went out flying.

The first ship to reach the dock was the Outcast ship. Alvin gave a brief nod to Hiccup as he walked into the hall. Toothless growled at him, but Hiccup held the dragon back. They needed _all_ the tribes to agree. He couldn't make waves, even if he'd been wronged.

As the day went on, more and more ships arrived, including the ship from Berk.

Hiccup cast his eyes down as his father stepped off. When Toothless nudged him, Hiccup managed to glance up at his father. The older man enveloped him in a hug.

"I'm glad you're safe," Stoick said as he crushed Hiccup's spine. "Now, what's this about a Thing? Why aren't you holding it on our island?"

"Yeah ... sorry about that. I kind of got shot down."

Stoick pushed him back and gave him a grim look. Hiccup winced. He probably shouldn't bring up danger.

"And the Bog Burglars are a neutral tribe," Hiccup amended. "We need a neutral island. I didn't want the Outcasts and Berserkers coming to Berk."

"I suppose you've got a point there," Stoick conceded. "So what's this meeting about?"

Hiccup quickly filled him in on Gobber's capture, the treaty with Merida's father and the tragic accident.

"So what's your plan?" Stoick asked when Hiccup finished his tale.

"You'll see," Hiccup said. "I'm going to announce it at the Thing."

For the next few hours, Hiccup worked on his speech. He had to get it right, and be able to rein in the tribes. The Barbaric Archipelago had never been united. In fact, most of them were at war. Hiccup had to find a way to change that.

By sundown representatives of all the islands and tribes Hiccup knew of, and a good many he didn't, were waiting in the Great Hall. He left Toothless outside and joined them.

"What is this about?!" the leader of the Visithugs demanded, slamming his fist on the table. "I was in the middle of cleaning my armory. It's very vast and I would like to get back to it!"

"I am quite sure this is important or they wouldn't have summoned us," a regal sounding woman said. Hiccup didn't know who she was, but she seemed to be the leader of her tribe.

"Oh, it's important, alright," Alvin said, giving Hiccup a wink, "or the boy wouldn't 'ave wanted me here. Of that I'm sure."

All eyes turned to Hiccup.

"Hiccup the Useless?" Thuggery, heir to the Meathead tribe said chuckling. "We were called here by that puny kid?"

All of the tribes, aside from the Outcasts, Berserkers, and Hooligans burst out into laughter.

Hiccup reddened, but climbed up on the table and waited until the laughter died down.

"You can all laugh at me now. But I have news that will affect all of us. The Scots are coming."

"We'll smash 'em," the head of the Bashem Oiks said, "if they cross into our waters! Those Muggles are no match for us!"

"Or us!" the Murderous tribe shouted.

"You don't get it!" Hiccup shouted. "I've seen them in action. They may not be wizards, but they are not weak. They ... They have a way of infecting people. Taking their magic."

"They'd never be able to take my magic," Norbert the Nutjob scoffed.

"They can. They've done it to hundreds of wizards and witches in England and Scotland." Hiccup announced, "They did it on me last year."

"WHAT!?" Stoick bellowed.

"My friends rescued me before the process was complete," Hiccup said, "but I have seen first-hand how they take magic away. It is not something that can be stopped by punches, or axes, or maces. Only healers stand a chance and, much as I respect the medicine men and women of the Archipelago, I don't know that our healers are up to the task."

The room erupted into angry shouts. Hiccup dodged as spears were hurled at him, but stayed on the table. Stoick stood up, catching the spears and returning the blows.

"The boy's right!" the voice came from the door, all eyes turned to see Gobber, and several strangers. The one-legged Viking strode in. "Me and 'im have come from Scotland. They can take magic, and there's nothin' a Vikin' can do to prevent it."

"I'll kill'em!" Bertha cried.

"That's not necessary!" Hiccup shouted, reclaiming the attention of the room. "The King of the Scots may know how to take magic, but the wizards and witches left on the mainland have found a strategy that works. Hiding the wizarding community. They cannot harm us if they can't find us."

"Hide your own island," the Northlander chief said. "We're not hiding. We'll slaughter 'em where they stand."

A chorus of yeas filled the hall. Hiccup stomped his metal foot on the table.

"You are right," Hiccup said once he regained the attention, "if all I cared about was saving my tribe, that's what we could do. But this is beyond saving our lives. This is about stopping them in their tracks. Say they sail to the Archipelago. If they find even one island, they will think they can eradicate us. Even if they lose in battle, their hatred for wizardkind will inspire them to keep trying. And trying. And once they have rid the Archipelago of wizards, they will move on to Europe, probably, and then the rest of the world.

"But ... if they can't find us. If they get here and all they see is fog ... they will go back. They will spend their time, not persecuting the innocent and sharpening their weapons, but pouring over maps, wondering how a string of islands can completely disappear. And they will know the power of wizards. It may even make them call off their own witch hunts. What I am proposing is not only good for Vikings, but for all of wizardkind! Be my brothers..."

Camicazi gave him a pointed look. Hiccup added, "... and sisters. Join me in protecting the Archipelago. Let's hide it."

* * *

"You should be back in class," Toothiana said from the doorway. Merida turned to look up at the professor. "Or out on the grounds, in the woods. It is not good to sit here keeping vigil for so long."

"He's not going to make it, is he?" she asked. There were no more tears in her eyes. She'd cried too much.

"You never know," Professor Tooth said. "Fate can be mysterious. I have lived for hundreds of years. I have seen many things. When my mother died, her sisters died as well, leaving me as the only one of my kind. Until I made my fairies. Your brother may yet live, but do not neglect the others. They are not Sisters of Flight. They will not fade just because one of their set dies."

Professor Tooth put a gentle hand on Merida's face, brushing away a tear she didn't know she had. Merida turned to her healthy brothers. The two boys were sitting on their own bed, halfheartedly rolling dice. Tooth was right. It was not good for them to waste away waiting for Harris to awaken.

As the fairy left, Merida pushed herself up.

"Hubert ... Hamish," she said softly, "why don't we go take a walk?"

The boys looked up and nodded. Merida took their hands and led them out. They hadn't been out since the accident. Jack used to take the children out. She supposed he was staying away because she'd yelled at him. Reflecting, she might have been too harsh. Accidents happened. What Jack did was no worse than when Merida turned her mum and brothers into bears. She could have lost them that time as well.

While they went for a walk around the school, Merida kept her eye out for Jack, meaning to apologize. But there was no sign of him. No sign of bare footprints in the snow. No snowmen, or ice forts, or even any trace of frost.

Merida and the boys finally turned back to the castle. She grabbed each passing student that she saw.

"Have you seen my friend Jack?" she would ask. Each time, they shook their heads no.

Hiccup might know where Jack was, but he'd left to help his tribe. And ... didn't they have another friend? Surely Merida had more friends than just Hiccup and Jack.

"Hey, Todd," Merida said, spotting the seventh year. "Have you seen Jack?"

"Why don't you ask a Slytherin?" Todd suggested.

Feeling that this was a good idea, Merida asked Todd to watch her brothers while she tracked one down. She didn't want to take the Muggleborns near Slytherin. She found the boy called Derek as he was going into the Slytherin common room.

"Oh, what do you want?" he asked sullenly.

"I'd like to speak to Jack, if he'll speak with me," Merida said. Derek's eyes darted uncertainly over the room. He stepped out into the hall with her, closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Derek said, his face turning red. "I didn't mean for it to happen. I tried to tell my dad to lay off."

Merida grabbed his shirt and slammed him into the wall.

"What do you mean?" she demanded.

"It wasn't my fault," he whimpered. "My dad's been pushing him all year. He wanted Jack expelled."

Merida threw the boy down and pulled out her wand. "What happened?"

"I … I don't know. That girl got hurt. The Slytherin. Sally or something. My family demanded Jack's expulsion. I didn't do it. Not this time. I swear. But Professor Emily Jane listened to them. She agreed to their demands. She expelled him."

Merida raised her wand, ready to curse the stinking Slytherin when she regained her senses. She was above starting fights. She needed to find Jack Frost.

"Where'd he go?" she demanded.

"My dad told him to leave and never come back."

Merida had a brief flashback of saying the exact same thing to Jack.

"That was a while ago. We haven't seen him since," Derek went on. Merida didn't wait for more apologies. She raced up to Gryffindor. Todd and her brothers were in the Common area.

"What's happened?" Todd asked, seeing her worried face. Quickly Merida explained what had happened, and how Jack had disappeared.

"Jack's gone?" Hamish asked.

"It seems so," Merida confirmed.

"He was so much fun," Hubert said.

"Don't let him go away," Hamish said. Merida looked at Todd. He nodded in understanding.

"I'll keep an eye on them for you," Todd promised.

"But- Harris," Merida said.

"He'd want Jack here when he wakes up," Hubert said. "We all loved to play with Jack."

"He'd feel awful if Jack got in trouble because we got hurt," Hamish added.

"Thank you, boys," Merida said, giving them one last hug, "I'll be back soon, with Jack in tow."

She ran up to her room and grabbed her thickest cloak. She had to find Jack.

She couldn't do a thing for Harris. But maybe she could help Jack ... maybe Harris would even be better once she found Jack … it was all she could hope for.

* * *

Emma reached for the door, only for her father to lower the bar.

"You are not going outside," he commanded. "It's freezing. It's been freezing since ..."

"But I have to look for Jack," Emma protested.

"Jack is dead, Emma," her mother said through tears. "I know it's hard to accept. You said yourself he fell through the ice."

"But I also saw him rise," Emma said.

"Then it was a vision from God of your brother ascending to heaven," John said. "I miss the boy, too. But fairy stories won't bring him back."

Emma stomped her foot. "He didn't go to heaven. He gave himself up for me. He went with the bad man. For me."

"The devil," John muttered.

"The shadowman," Emma protested. "He needs our help!"

"What you say cannot be true," Mother said. "It was a vision. A way for you to misremember what you saw. A way to ease the pain."

Mother went to the shrine on the mantle. It consisted of Jack's things. His school books. His invisible cloak. The skates he never got a chance to put on. And the most painful reminder: The pouch of gillyweed Merida had given them. If Jack had eaten it before he fell in, he would still be here.

At least, that's what Mother said. Emma wasn't so sure. She had seen him fall in and come out. But he was different. Was he gone?

A knock came at the door. Mother grabbed Emma's arm as John opened it. The red haired princess stood at the other side.

"I am looking for Jack Frost," she said. "He's not at school."

The family looked at one another.

"My son is dead," John said.

* * *

"I still don't see why we're turning away," the Stabbington brother griped.

"I tell you, I got a great lead," Flynn said. "The Crown of Corona. Now that's a prize worth stealing."

"So you didn't get anything from the Tooth Palace?"

"I'm telling you guys, it was useless. Just a pensieve. When I heard about it, I thought it might be useful to steal memories. But really, who's going to pay us to retrieve their memory? Most people don't care if their memories are good or not. And anyway, I did find something useful. The king and queen love the Lost Princess's crown more than anything. They'd give us the whole kingdom to get it back. We steal that crown, we can buy our own castle. And anyway, the Captain of the Guard and his daughter were up there. If we scurry back to Corona, we might beat them. The other guards are kind of stupid. I bet we can rob 'em blind before they get back."

"Guess it's worth a shot," the Stabbingtons agreed, "but you'd better be right this time, Rider, or we're going to have a problem."

Flynn kept marching along. He'd use the brothers to get the crown, but then he'd have to ditch them. He was sure he could find a way to do it. He would get that crown, and then it was straight to his very own private island.

* * *

Jack opened his eyes to darkness. His body was stiff and sore from the contorted position the cage forced him in, as well as various other hurts that had been inflicted on him. He had no idea how long he'd been here. Nightlight kept him asleep as best he could. Or at least that's what he thought. Dreams passed occasionally, and sometimes Nightlight appeared in them.

He's always speak comforting words. It made Jack feel much less alone, even when he felt the pain.

"Nightlight?" a voice came out of nowhere.

"Not today," Jack said, his voice sounded strange and gravely, like he hadn't spoken in a while, and his mouth felt so dry.

"Oh, is that you, Jack?" Pitch sneered as he took form. He gave Jack a menacing grin that seemed to glow in the dark. Jack tried to scramble back, but there was nowhere to go. His heart started to pump faster as the helplessness sank in. Pitch rolled his head back and moaned, "I forgot how much I loved your fear."

"I thought it was Nightlight you sensed," Jack said, trying to calm his fear. He didn't want to give Pitch more power over him.

"Nightlight is too old," Pitch scoffed. "I can sense him in you, but he has very little fear left. But yours. Yours is fresh." On the last word, Pitch's face appeared directly in front of Jack, making Jack jump, "Oh yes."

Pitch ran a finger down Jack's cheek. Jack swatted his hand away. Pitch backed away, but with a smirk that seemed to be mocking him, letting Jack know that Pitch could do what he pleased.

"When Nightlight is awake, it is about revenge," Pitch said. "I like to make him suffer for his crimes ... but with you, I think I will milk your fear. I will make you live every nightmare you could possibly dream up. Every nightmare _anyone_ could dream up. Have fun."

Pitch faded from view, and the nightmares began.

* * *

Rapunzel stretched in the late afternoon sun. Nearby, Pascal chirped.

"I know," she said, "but Mother is right. I can't go outside."

The girl sighed and opened the shutters. The wind blew into the tower.

"I'm safe here ... no one knows I'm here," Rapunzel mumbled. Even as she said it, something rang false. Someone did know she was here. Pitch Black had not only invaded the tower, he'd taken over Mother. The tower wasn't safe.

Nowhere was.

Rapunzel looked up as dark clouds filled the sky. Pitch said Jack was dead. And that he'd betrayed her. Maybe it was true, but that was no reason to turn her back on her other friends. Once Pitch finished with them, he'd come back for her. She couldn't stay in hiding, waiting for him to come. She had to do something to help.

Rapunzel threw her hair out the tower. She was going to leave, to rescue her friends. Before she could climb up on the windowsill, there was a tug on her hair. She looked out to the grass below and saw Mother grabbing the hair.

"Mother, I'm going down!" Rapunzel called.

"What? I can't hear you dear. Pull me up, we'll talk inside," Mother called back. Rapunzel nodded and yanked on her hair. Her arms ached as she pulled, but eventually Mother reached the main window.

"Mother," Rapunzel said, panting, "I've made a decision."

"Now, dear, that's nice. Tell me about it over dinner," Gothel said. She patted Rapunzel on her head and turned to hang up her cloak.

"I'm going to leave the tower!" Rapunzel said. Gothel froze.

"What?" she said, turning slowly.

"Well ... " Rapunzel mumbled, "See ... it occurred to me that .. you know ... since .."

"Ugh, get on with it!" Gothel snapped. "You know how I hate the mumbling!"

Rapunzel sighed, "Pitch Black already broke in here. He knows where I am. I'm no safer here than I am anywhere else. I might as well be out there helping my friends."

Gothel stayed frozen for a very long time. Finally she sighed.

"I suppose you're right. But not right now. Have dinner with me first. I'm making hazelnut soup. We can leave in the morning."

Rapunzel smiled and went to pack. A few hours later, she was sitting down to dinner. As she ate the soup, she noticed something tasting off.

"Is this the regular recipe?" Rapunzel asked after her third bite.

"Oh ... well ... I couldn't find parsley, so I added a different herb instead. I didn't know if you'd be able to taste it. Keep eating, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel nodded and took another bite. In her spoon, she was pretty sure she saw parsley. It tasted like parsley. But why would mother lie?

As she finished the soup, Rapunzel pushed her chair back and stood up, "I'm going to go ..."

Her head swam as she stood, "Whoa."

"Oh, my dear, you ought to lie down," Gothel said. Her voice sounded like it was coming through fog. Who was speaking again? Rapunzel couldn't seem to remember what she was doing.

"Yeah ..." Rapunzel agreed. The older woman took her arm and guided her to bed.

"I am your mother. Mother Gothel," Gothel whispered. "You've lived in this tower your whole life. You have never left. The outside world is cold, cruel, and dangerous. If it finds any light, it snuffs it out."

Rapunzel couldn't remember ever leaving the tower as Mother tucked her in.


	19. Finding Jack Frost

Astrid and Stormfly took off from the now hidden Breakneck Bog Island on a blustery spring morning. She and Snotlout had been tasked with hiding all the uninhabited islands on the west edge of the Archipelago from Muggle eyes.

"How's your island coming?" she shouted when she saw Hookfang.

"I don't get why _WE_ have to do this," Snotlout shouted back. "Can't the Murderous tribe hide these islands? They're closest."

"Hiccup asked them," Astrid reminded him, "but when a Murderous says no, you don't press it."

"I don't get why not. I mean, what will they do?"

"Besides refusing? I don't know, murder? It's in their name."

"So? Hiccup still should have made them do it," Snotlout complained while picking his nose.

Astrid rolled her eyes and flew on to the next island. Why did Hiccup keep pairing her with Snotlout? Oh yeah, because only she and Fishlegs had the brains to follow his orders and cast the complicated spells required to protect the Archipelago, so they had to babysit Snotlout and the twins. Well, Snotlout _was_ better than the twins. If only just.

Island by island, the Archipelago disappeared from view. Soon, it would be safe from Scots, Muggles, and even Romans. The only threats then would be the warring tribes. That was fine. Too much peace was bad for Vikings. Made them soft.

As she reached the edge of the Archipelago to check on the progress the others were making, she spotted a boat on the horizon.

"Let's go check it out," she said, giving Stormfly a pat. Swooping down, she found a lone girl on the boat. Princess Merida. Merida shaded her eyes in the late afternoon sun and looked up.

"Hello up there! I tried to apparate to Berk, but something went wrong. I wound up in the middle of the ocean. Good thing I knew how to conjure a boat."

"Sorry about that," Astrid called, landing Stormfly on the creaking boat. "We're protecting our islands. No more visitors allowed. Unless the Vikings of the Archipelago invite them, at least."

"That's fine. But I need to speak to Hiccup. There's something he ought to know. Something important." Merida hesitated, then added softly, "About our friend Jack Frost."

Astrid remembered that name. She hadn't exactly liked Jack, but he made decent competition in the Triwizard Tournament. And she knew how much he meant to Hiccup.

"I'll go get Hiccup," Astrid said. She flew off. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but if it was important enough for the Scottish princess to venture into the Archipelago it had to be bad news.

* * *

Hiccup guided the Peaceable Farmers through the process of sealing off their islands as the sun set.

"Done," Hiccup said, wiping his brow. "I guess we should go back to Berk now."

Toothless whined and pulled to the west, away from Berk, towards Hogwarts.

"No. It ... It's not safe," Hiccup said. His heart shuttered again. He thought that he'd gotten over this whole fear thing. He had very little problem facing enemy tribes in the Archipelago. Seeing Alvin the Outcast, the acting chief of the Berserkers, and a good deal of other unfriendly tribes at the Thing barely fazed him. So why did Scotland terrorize him so?

Hiccup looked up in time to see the first twinkling star of the night, "Can you tell me why I'm scared?"

The star seemed to shine brighter, like it had an answer. But Hiccup couldn't speak star.

"Hey!" Fishlegs shouted. "Terror Mail from Astrid, a princess is calling for you."

Hiccup pushed aside his fears and he flew to where Merida was waiting. Toothless landed on her boat.

"Jack Frost is gone," Merida said.

"What?" Hiccup asked. "He's not at school?"

"Nope," Merida said tightly, her lips pursed. "I apparated to his house when I noticed he was missing. His family said he came back for Christmas. As a Muggle. Brown hair. Sensitive to cold. His sister saw him fall through the ice and drown."

"He ... he's dead?" Hiccup choked.

"Yes and no. She said she saw him rise from the water. But that it wasn't him. And that Pitch Black took him."

"Uh ... what?" Hiccup asked. His mind reeling. Jack Frost couldn't have fallen in ice. It ... it wasn't right.

"Her family thinks she's just grief-stricken, but I don't know. My dad didn't believe me when I told him I'd turned Mum into a bear. Muggles can't understand magic. I tried a summoning spell on the lake, to bring forth his body. Nothing came up."

This didn't make any sense. What happened to Jack? How did it happen? And what could he do about it? After a moment, he settled on an idea.

"Look, I'm sealing off the Archipelago from Muggles. Your parents won't be able to find my island, or any other, to attack in vengeance. Once we're safe, I'll go out and search for him. Across the whole Archipelago if I have to. You can search Scotland and England."

"We don't even know if Jack is in one of those places!" Merida sighed. "For all we know, he's in Corona, or Russia. If his sister was right. If she wasn't ..."

"He has to be somewhere. Alive or dead ... bodies don't just disappear. I'll start with my islands. You start with yours. If we both come up empty handed ... we'll go further. To Corona. France. Russia. India. Everywhere."

"I guess that'll have to do," Merida agreed, "but I feel like we're looking for a needle in a haystack."

"We are. But this is Jack. If anyone can find him, it'll be us."

Hiccup flew off. He hoped he was right. He didn't want to lose his friend.

* * *

"Do I have to?" Peter complained.

"Yes," Caitlin said. "We have to try to get along with people like her. I don't want to hear another word about it. Go."

Peter grumbled as he took the pail out to the well. Sure enough, Mrs. White was there. She was always there. It was like she could read his mind. She always knew when he was going to be out. Peter tried to ignore her as he drew up the water.

Something tickled at his side. Instinctively, he let go of the rope. The bucket tumbled down into the well as the old hag cackled. Peter glared at her, her wand out, pointing at him. The fire burned inside him. He ran at her, struggling with the wand. She said some magic words that he couldn't understand and suddenly he felt sick.

She pushed him aside, into the dirt. He doubled over. Something appeared in his mouth. It forced itself down his throat. The old witch cackled again.

"Eat slugs, you muggle maggot!" she snickered. As soon as the first one finished worming its way down, another appeared. Peter tried to spit it out, but the magic forced it down. Peter got up and ran back to his mother.

"Put the water on the stove please," she said without looking up.

"N ... No water," Peter choked out as another slug appeared. That got her attention.

"What happened?" she asked, putting her work aside.

"Old ... Old Mrs. White," Peter choked, "cursed me."

His mother rolled her eyes, "I told you not to aggravate her."

"I ... I didn't," he said, his temper rising.

His mother came over and grabbed his chin, looking into his mouth. She frowned.

"I don't know the counter curse to this one. It'll cure up on its own. I think."

"What good is a witch who can't undo curses," Peter murmered, trying to catch his breath between slugs.

"That's no way to talk to me," Caitlin said. "Anyway, if you hadn't bothered her, she wouldn't have done this. Maybe it'll help you remember to be nice."

Peter's face burned. He turned and stormed out of the cabin. He could hear Mother calling him, but he didn't care. She wasn't going to believe him over Mrs. White. Maybe his father had the right idea. Maybe all witches should be destroyed.

* * *

Jack woke up covered in cuts and bruises. He had no clue what Pitch had done to Nightlight over the last fortnight, but it hurt. Being dead, he wasn't sure if he would ever heal.

The room darkened. Jack closed his eyes. Maybe Pitch would think he was asleep.

"Honestly, boy," Pitch scoffed. "I'm the Nightmare King. I know when children are sleeping."

Okay, so that wasn't going to work. But even if he couldn't hide his feelings, Pitch couldn't force him to respond.

"Can't I?" Pitch sneered. "Don't worry, though. I'm done with hurting you for now. If I strike again you might break for good. And since Rapunzel is out of commission, I don't have an easy way to fix you."

"Rapunzel? What do you know about Rapunzel?" Jack asked, trying and failing to lean forward.

Pitch smirked. "Oh, I know everything about the little princess. I always have. I was there when the drop of sunlight fell to earth. I found a woman who was afraid of death and tasked her with destroying the flower after she used it to reduce her age. Pity that Gothel wasn't happy with a mere extension."

Jack tried not to let his confusion show. Why wouldn't Pitch just destroy the flower? He had to change the subject before Pitch read his thoughts.

"But what about Rapunzel now. Where is she?"

"Oh, the flower has been sealed in the tower. If Gothel wants her eternal youth, she will keep the girl inside. And, thanks to you, no one can possibly find her. The secret died with you. And if Rapunzel does venture out, believe me, I will be waiting."

Jack struggled in the cage, but it was just as solid as the last few times he was awake. The only consoling thought that Jack had ... the secret had not died with him. He'd revealed it before he left. Come on, Flynn Rider. You are Rapunzel's only hope.

Quickly, Jack changed his line of thinking before Pitch could discover Flynn knew the secret.

"I don't understand why you killed me the way you did."

"I wanted Nightlight," Pitch said.

"No, I get that. But ... when you took my magic, I was in Antarctica. I would have frozen to death in seconds. You sent me home."

Pitch grinned, "My dear boy. When people die, the place they died acquires a fearful nature. Nobody lives in Antarctica. But people live near your lake. When they see it now, they fear it. The lake that claimed the life of an Ice Elf. Especially your sister. I hope she's terrified of that lake."

Jack let feelings of hate wash over him. Pitch already knew how he felt about his sister. These feelings wouldn't feed Pitch, or give away what Flynn was up to. Jack embraced them.

* * *

Rapunzel woke up feeling good. Just one more month until her birthday. The lights would appear in the sky. Maybe this year she could get Mother to take her out to see them. She had a feeling that she ought to leave the tower. But no. She'd never left the tower. The world outside was too cruel and wicked for a weak girl like her. But maybe she could do it if Mother would only escort her?

"What do you want to do Pascal?" Rapunzel asked her chameleon. He climbed up to her window. "Very funny. I like it inside. It's not so bad."

Rapunzel looked at the clock. Seven A.M. The usual morning lineup. She started her chores, sweeping the floors, polishing, mopping and shining. A quick load of laundry, and more cleaning. Barely took a half hour. She turned to her bookshelf.

A nagging feeling said that she used to have more books, but now there were only three. Maybe she didn't like them. Mother must have gotten rid of them. That must be it. Once she finished the books, she turned to her other talents: guitar, puzzles and darts and making a few crafts.

All, just wondering ... when will her life begin?

* * *

Merida grunted as she trudged through the woods for the hundredth time. _Stupid Hiccup._ His plan would never work. There was a whole great big earth to search. She didn't think she'd just stumble upon Jack.

Ever since she heard Jack was dead she'd spent hours scouring Scotland for any trace of him. But the more she walked, the more she started to believe that he really was gone.

Her brothers wouldn't let her accept it, though. Hamish and Hubert insisted that Merida keep looking for Jack. They said that Harris would want him when he woke up. And the Nurse said that it was likely that Harris _would_ wake soon. His heart rate was increasing, and his humors were returning to normal.

She still didn't know if it would be a full recovery, or if he would be disabled, but anything was better than being dead at this point.

Merida pushed her way through thick vines. Was it her imagination, or were they grabbing at her? A moment further into the forest and she realized they were. The vines twisted around her arms and legs. It was devil's snare.

 _Think, think,_ she scolded herself. She was somewhat proficient in herbology, but with the tendrils cutting off her air she could barely think.

She stopped struggling. That much she remembered, and the vines stopped constricting. But she was still trapped. Wondering how long she was to be trapped there, she felt a presence. Something was watching her.

"Who's there?" she asked.

The plants around her swirled and coalesced into Professor Pitchiner.

"Oh, great, you can free me," Merida said.

Mother Nature lowered her eyes, "No. I can't."

"Why not?" Merida asked. Of all the teachers she's had in school, she felt the most indifferent about Emily Jane.

"You seek Jack Frost."

"You know where he is?" Merida guessed. Mother Nature gave a slight nod. Despite the vines, Merida grinned, "Then he's alive?"

"Not exactly," Mother Nature said. "The Guardians sometimes choose favorites among mortals to join their ranks. Katherine is one. Her father and Nightlight selected her and gave her enough moon energy so that she would stop aging. North, also known as Santa Claus, is another."

"So … is Jack alive or not?" Merida asked.

"He is more solid than a ghost, but not as much as he was before."

"And where might we find this not so solid form of Jack?" Merida demanded. She didn't care about the semantics of what Jack was. All she wanted was him.

"When Jackson Frost died, he ceased to be my charge. I will no longer protect him from my father. But I can still help you. If you agree to forget Jack, I will let you go," she said. "I will see to it that Pitch leaves you alone."

"I will **NEVER** forget Jack Frost," Merida shouted. The vines tightened. Mother Nature scowled, as though she were going to do something. Before she could, Merida noticed the vines behind her shuttering. Searching for a reason, the girl spotted a spark of light in the distance.

She might not be able to move, but she knew enough wandless magic. Concentrating, she heard a popping sound and the devil's snare caught on fire. It retreated from her, though she got mild burns in the process. The lights in the distance grew. Mother Nature disappeared.

Merida ran towards the flickering light, uncaring if they were friend or foe. Torches soon came into view. A few more feet and Merida came face to face with them.

Three young men. Young men she knew. The lords' sons. And they were leading her horse Angus.

"Princess Merida?" the boys said, as they sank into bows.

"I'm not a princess anymore," Merida admitted. "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you," Wee Dingwall said.

"We n'arly found yo' friend," Young MacGuffin said.

"What?" Merida asked.

Young Macintosh clarified, "We were on patrol and found a frigid cave. Too cold to be natural."

"We thought it might be yer cold friend," Wee Dingwall added.

"So … you are still on my side?" Merida asked as she stroked Angus's muzzle.

The three boys looked at one another.

Young Macintosh answered for all of them, "Yes, Princess. We made a vow to you and we will keep it. You are our princess."

Merida couldn't stop smiling. Her brother on the mend, Jack found, Angus back, and loyal lords' sons … things were finally looking up.

* * *

Flynn raised the mizzenmast of the ship as he navigated around Italy. The Stabbington brothers had planned to murder the crew of the ship they'd commandeered tonight, but Flynn could speak Italian. He gave the crew warning and helped them escape. The brothers would be furious when they realized, but it couldn't be helped.

They were so close to Corona, so close to Princess Rapunzel. One more week of sailing, tops. Then the three thieves would climb atop the castle and drop Flynn down through a sky light. According to all the merchants they'd quizzed, the Lost Princess's crown would be on a pedestal, surrounded by guards. It should be nothing for Flynn to pocket it and get out of there. Then his problem would be how to get it away from the Stabbington brothers.

As he pulled the ship around the jagged rocks, he started planning his escape. He knew the roads in Corona fairly well. He could probably lead them to a path where they'd have to go through one at a time. All he had to do was make sure he was holding the crown when he went through, then seal the exit. There had to be a way.

Soon. Soon he would be in Corona. Soon he would save Rapunzel.

* * *

"This is it," Merida said as an unseasonably cold wind blew up from the tunnel under the standing stones. Hiccup shivered. He couldn't be scared. Not here. Not now. Jack might need him.

Hiccup looked to Toothless. The dragon shot his sonic sonar into the hole, then jumped into it. Merida and Hiccup followed.

As they crept down the tunnel, the dark shadows seemed to move. Hiccup tried to calm his fears. He couldn't draw Pitch to them. Not now. There was nothing to fear. Nothing to fear. The Archipelago was safe.

"I'll cast the lighting spell," Merida offered.

"No," Hiccup advised. "Pitch Black is the shadowman. He'll notice if we disturb the shadows. He might already know we're here, but let's wait until we're sure we've lost the advantage of surprise."

The further down the tunnel they crept, the colder the air became. They were going in the right direction.

At first, some light slipped in, but it gradually disappeared. Finally, they were walking in total darkness. Merida and Hiccup both kept hold of Toothless's saddle. He sent out another sonar blast and made the correct turns. The room got colder, and they heard heavy breathing.

"Jack?" Merida called. The breathing quieted. There was a groan. Merida rushed towards it. Her hands landed on solid iron bars coated in ice.

"Who's there?" Jack asked from inside the cage.

"It's us," Merida said. "Me and Hiccup."

Hiccup grabbed the cage bars, only for them to turn to sand in his hands. A cackle echoed through the halls. Surprise was gone. Hiccup pulled out the wand and cast _Lumos_.

The room was filled with hundreds of cages, and hundreds of Jacks. Pitch's laughter continued as extra sand formed into bears and dragons. Toothless growled and shot at the sand. It dissolved, but then started to reform.

Still, they could use those seconds.

"Check the cages as quickly as possible," Hiccup instructed, taking the left as Merida took the right. Toothless took another shot.

Hiccup ran at each cage, hitting them with his illuminated wand. Each one dissolved on touch. He heard another plasma blast. They had five shots left, and more than five sand animals to fight. They didn't have time to check each and every cage. Hiccup ran through his list of spells, he cast the severing spell. Two cages fell to the ground, dissolving into mounds of sand. Merida pulled out her wand and cast the same spell.

Her spell was more powerful. All the cages fell to the ground. Only one of them didn't turn to sand. Merida and Hiccup ran to it.

" _Alohomora_!" Hiccup shouted, tripping over a crooked stick as he cast the spell. The cage popped open. Merida easily lifted an unconscious Jack and heaved him onto Toothless while Hiccup grabbed the staff he'd fallen on. Toothless sent his last shot at Pitch Black as they raced out to the surface. Jack's eyes flickered in the moonlight.

"Light hurts," he complained before passing out. Hiccup and Merida kept going.

"He's going to be alright," Hiccup pronounced as he made sure Jack was secured on Toothless's back. "He's just exhausted. Who knows how long he's been in that dark, tiny space. Let's hurry, Pitch Black will be after us soon."

"Where do we take him?" Merida asked as she mounted her horse, kept still by the lords' sons who'd waited for them in the moonlight.

Hiccup hesitated, "Hogwarts, I guess."

"Tha'll be wheren' they expect ye!" MacGuffin said.

"Where would you go, then?" Merida asked.

The boys looked at each other.

"We know just the place," Macintosh said. Merida and Hiccup followed him, Jack still on Toothless. Merida didn't ask where they were going. Pitch would try to follow them. But he didn't know the lords' sons as well as he knew Hiccup, Merida and Jack. He wouldn't be able to follow them as easily. She hoped.

* * *

Jack felt cold. That wasn't a surprise. He was always cold. What was surprising was that he didn't seem to have any new sores. And there was warmth nearby. Jack turned towards it as he started to regain consciousness. To his surprise, his body moved willingly. There was nothing in the way. No chains to bind him. No cage to force him into a crouch. No darkness to stifle him.

Jack stretched slowly. Cramps came and went as he spread out to his full length, but once the tingling passed, he felt so much better.

His eyes flickered, admitting a bit of soft light. He took his time, listening to a soft murmur of voices. Jack slowly pushed himself up. The voices stopped.

Merida and Hiccup leaned over him.

Jack smiled, "You came for me."

"Of course," Hiccup said, rubbing Jack's knee. "We weren't going to leave you there."

"Yeah. We don't forget our friends," Merida proclaimed. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"And I'm sorry we were late," Hiccup added. "But it's over. We're all together now."

"You don't know how much that means," Jack said, giving a weak smile. Everything would be okay. He looked between them, then realized something ... no, someone ... was missing.

"Wait … where is she? She's in trouble. Pitch said - We need to go," Jack said. He tried to get up, but his muscles were still weak. He hadn't eaten anything since he died. Apparently he didn't need food any more. Merida and Hiccup grabbed him and helped him sit back down.

"You need to take it easy," Merida cautioned.

"No. She's in trouble."

"Who?" Hiccup asked. "Heather? Astrid? Camicazi?"

"Me mum? Maudie?" Merida asked.

"No. Rapunzel."

They both gave him puzzled looks.

"Rapunzel?" Merida asked blankly. "Who's Rapunzel?"

* * *

"That's where it ends?" -H

"Sorry, but our story can't be told right if it doesn't end there." -E

"Oh, come on. It's not the worst ending we've had." -M

"Of course you'd say that. Your story-line is looking up." -J

"I've still got stuff to resolve. Harris is still hurt, and there's the matter with my parents." -M

"Oh, parents. I get to see mine in the next installment, don't I?" -R

"Yep. This is the story of how I died-" -E

* * *

 **A/N: End of Year 7, Part 1. Next week I will post the Tangled Oneshot. I have almost all of Year 7, Part 2 written, so I'll probably post the first chapter of Part 2 the week after that.**


	20. Teaser

Pitch,

Please help. Rapunzel wants to go outside. I need you to help me with shadows. I'll close the shutters and curtains and blow out all the lights, then you work your magic. I think ruffians or thugs and poison ivy should do it. I can handle the rest.

-Gothel

* * *

 **A/N: You can find my Tangled one shot at** w (ww)(d o t) (fan) fiction.n=e=t /s/13073427/1/Hogwarts-Tangled.

 **And the Fate of the Fractured Part 2:** w (ww)(d o t) (fan) fiction.n=e=t /s/13079633/1/The-Big-Four-and-the-Fate-of-the-Fractured-Part-2

 **Remove spaces, parentheses, equal signs, etc.**


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